Pakless
by Chaoartwork39
Summary: For thousands of years, never has a smeet been born naturally. Nor have any irken kind even thought about bringing one into the world. One infamous irken in particular however decides to create one in hopes of covering his plan delays, having a new "servant", and hoping bringing back a natural irken can contain importance in both his mission and the irken empire. warning: Mpreg
1. Chapter 1: The Findings

"And so, we are all just monkeys that are evolving, which will lead us to our doom," Ms. Bitters lectured to the classroom.  
"Humans are so needy on becoming better that they are forgetting what it means to be an animal. And growing needy will lead to their doom. Growing technology will lead to their doom. Fear of spiders and balloons will lead to their-"

A green skinned student raised his hand. The teacher turned in slight irritation,  
"Yes, Zim?"  
"Ah yes, Uh," he lowered his hand, "I kind of don't know the whole thing on the whole 'evolution' or 'invention of technology' sort of words. Let's say if I was another species from another planet, which I'm not, just a normal human boy, and if they have had advanced technology the whole timeline of their existence-"

"Get to the point," she squinted.  
"Well I was wondering how it could be possible that technology never existed in the beginning of the human race. Now thinking of it, how are human babies made without the cloning process?"  
"Oh?" Dib, Who was sitting at the opposite side of the classroom from Zim, raised his eyebrows in amusement, "and what do you mean by cloning process?"

"You know, the thingy where..."  
Zim notice the kids staring at him in confusion.  
"The...yes! That movie! Where babies grow in these tube thingy in another planet! Has the smiley face when a baby is done developing and they get the whole knowledge thing? Heh...a great movie right?"

The kids stared a short while.  
"Oh yeah!" Keef said, "I remember watching that movie! 'Terrestrial Wars' it's called, right?!"  
Dib wondered why he never heard of that movie. Still, he sighed when his plan on unveiling Zim's identity foiled again and just traced his eyes away from the conversation.  
"That movie grossed me out," one goth student said.  
"Well it did well in the box office," the boy said, "so I can see why it's likable-"

"Silence!" Ms. Bitters hissed, "this is why I never trust taking a student's question. Now if you poor filthy children are done talking, I shall continue this lecture. If you arent, you shall stay here for eternity."  
The students stayed quiet.  
"As I was saying, fear of spiders and balloons will lead to doom. Video games will lead to doom. Making a fan fiction..."

As she kept lecturing, Zim pondered about what she has said earlier. He guesses human babies aren't born the same way as irkens does?

—

The bell rang and kids rushed out of class, with some flying out of the window and falling unto the bushes, screaming in joy. Zim ofcourse walked out of the school casually as he kept pondering. He was then isolated from the others, to which several seconds after heard a voice.  
"So, I'm guessing your kind doesn't reproduce the same way as we do?"  
Zim turned behind to see that Dib has been following him.

Ofcourse, he was use to this human boy always following and spying on him in suspicions that he has gotten tired of telling him to go away.  
"And so what if it is?" the alien narrowed, "not that I care about these things, since you lowly humans are toooo stupid to stop my greatest plans into..."

Zim pause.  
"...uh...where do human babies come from?"  
"You said you didn't-"  
"I KNOW WHAT I SAID, DIB BOY! Just...explain to me so I can have enough information to-"  
Zim paused again.  
"Oh wait you're not going to tell me because you're trying to stop me."  
"Right," the glasses kid said unamused, "it's not like I would have explained it anyways. Believe me, I think I had enough conversation of that with my dad," he cringes.

"Hm," Zim rubbed his chin, "Maybe it's good I didn't get the information from you but NO MATTER! I will find out more about your creations and when I do, I shall unleash my next secret plan for world domination!"  
"What are you planning, Zim?" Dib grows serious and defensive.  
"Oh," he makes a menacing smile, "that is a secret that will be unleashed eventually..."

"Not if I can-Wait. Are you only saying you have a plan because you don't have one yet?"  
"Uh..." Zim's face went blank, "no? Why would I never have a plan right away?"  
"Well it did take you a while to figure out phase two."

"LIE!" He blurted out to the human kid, "Zim always knew phase two! I just pretended that i didn't so you let your guard down!"  
Dib just stayed quiet, giving a look that he wasn't buying it. Did he really think he was stupid?  
"Anyhow," he made an evil smile again, "Zim shall succeed this time! And when I do, you shall REGRET-Uh...DOUBTING MY PLAN-yeah you get the picture. See you later, space boy!"

He giggled in a villainy tone as he ran off. Did stared in confusion.  
"Uh...isn't that what I call you?"

—

Zim entered his home base's yard, now sighing out of a bit of exhaustion from doing his "human" life today. But he thinks he did quite well. He gathered more information on human's development and made sure Dib Monster didn't get suspicious that he didn't think of his next plan yet.

Now the best thing to do now is to think of his next plan before Dib finds out. And what better way to do that than to research more on human life? Fun. Even so, he was still curious on how exactly they are born. And what it means that technology has changed them lately. Not that ever cared too much about the origin of these dumb species, but it might help him figure out another one of their weakness in order to conquer the planet.

As soon as he entered the house, Gir, who was on the couch, turned to Zim and happily waved, saying out loud,  
"WELCOME HOME, SON!"  
Zim's eyebrow raised, noticing something a bit off.  
"Did the roboparents break down again?"  
GIR's face went blank,  
"Yes."

The alien made a short sigh as he started taking off his disguise,  
"No matter. I'll fix them later. There's something I need to research."  
"Did someone take your ice cream again?" Gir asked.  
"No no, just more boring discovery on humans again," he walked towards the toilet right when Gir hopped out of the couch and started following him.

"I can't seem to understand how is it that humans make humans."  
"Maybe they make them out of pizzas?" Gir asked again as he scurried up unto his master's head, to which at this point he has gotten use to.

"Only one way to find out," Zim stepped onto the toilet.  
"Computer! Take me down to observatory."  
The computer can be heard sighing before saying,  
"**Whatever you say, your majesty**."

Zim and Gir get swallowed up by the toilet as elevator lowers them to the underground base. Once they made it to the observatory, a tiny looking moose can be seen resting until they were woken up by the arrival of their master. They floated out of bed and let out a,  
"Nyah!"  
"Good to see you too, Minimoose," Zim greeted them as he went over to the chair.  
"Nyah?"

"Skool was just stinky as always," he sat down and pulled the tiny robot out of his head, placing him on the floor.  
"Computer," Zim called to it again as Gir went over to play with Minimoose, "describe to me where human babies come from!"  
"**Ugh**," the computer complained, "**Do I really have to?"**

"Well if it's something that MAY be useful in finding out the species' weakness and not have people put me in a floating liquid tube, then yes."  
**"Fine. But I must warn you that it's extremely weird."**  
"Heh!" Zim smiled "Zim can conquer any weirdness! With every challenging experiences I have had with the humans, nothing can surpass whatever I'm about to hear."

—

Ten agonizing minutes later...

—

**"Once it is cut off, the baby would likely be put in a warm cloth and it'll take a short while for the cord to dry and wither off, leaving a belly button."**  
Zim sat still. His face was mixed with disturbance and disgust. Almost as if he is completely unsure how to digest this whole information.  
**"Would you like me to explain it agai-?"**  
"No no no, I'm good!" The alien immediately cut him off and rubbed his face.  
"Ok. Wow. Guess there's still more disturbing things about these creatures than I thought."  
Now he sees why Dib didn't want to explain it.

Gir giggles as he was rolling about on Minimoose's stomach, the youngest servant not minding this.  
"BABIES COME FROM STOMACHS!"  
"Nyah!"  
"Please don't even re-mention that Minimoose," Zim muttered.

"Do you have a bellybutton, master?"  
"No I don't thank goodness," he softly squinted, "only humans do."  
"Whyyyyy?"  
"Because we developed in a tube. We don't need to have those cord thingies messing up our stomach's flesh."

"Whyyyyy?"  
"Because we don't need to have two irkens have one of them grow a baby inside them."  
"Whyyyyy?"  
"Because..."  
He thought about it.  
"All aliens have a different way of reproducing!"

Gir was quiet this time, his tongue sticking out.  
"Though even so," Zim started to ponder. It was strange to know humans just naturally reproduce from the very beginning. Without that, they wouldn't have been smart enough to make the junks around the planet. Strangely enough, he finds it odd that he was never granted the story of Irken origin when he was born. He was curious.

"Computer," he looked at the screen again, "did we have the cloning process from the beginning of irken species? As...well as the amazing devices we have?"  
**"Searching..."**  
There were whirring and beeping sounds coming from the computer. Which was strange since it tends to say the answers right away. But after few minutes of searching, it answers,  
**"No information data found."**

His eyebrow raised.  
"Hm," his antennas softly twitched in confusion and a bit of interest, "That's new. Uh...computer, I doubt that it could be a thing. But just in case, is there a possibility irkens use to reproduce naturally?"  
Beeping and whirring sounds were heard again.  
**"No information data found."**

He paused.  
"The foundation of the irken empire?"  
The computer was actually able to answer this one.  
**"A long time ago, three ancient leaders came together to invent the PAK. Other irkens started using it, bringing about the beginning of the Irken Empire. The three ancient leaders would eventually die and have their intelligence transferred to the control brains and-"**  
"Ok too boring, Atleast we have that part of the history, what about what the irken society was like before that?"

Beeping and whirring was heard.  
**"No information data found."**  
"Seriously?" He narrowed in annoyance, "that's all the info you have on my great race?!"  
**"Now don't you blame me,**" the computer argued back,** "if anything, you should ask the almighty tallest about it if you're going whine about it-"**  
"Silence! Let me just think on how I can resolve this!"  
The computer just sighed.

After a while of thinking, his antennae completely perks up from getting an idea.  
"I got it! I'll call the almighty tallest and ask them! Zim being great at solving situations as always!"  
He turns the chair again and starts typing.  
"They must have something..."

—-

Purple pat out the fire on his forehead, leaving only a burnt mark on his head.  
"Well its a good thing this ship had an automatic teleporting device," Red was seen fixing himself up as well, "what I don't get is why it took ONE STINKING MONTH TO ACTIVE!"

"My tallest?" One commander said, "we have a call from Urth."  
"Not that it matters either way," Red said not listening to what the commander just said, "the only thing that matters is now that Zim is out of the picture, we can finally do the operation without worrying about his frantic calls."

"Yeah!" Purple laughed, "I said earlier that blowing up stuff would solve problems. Any who, what was it, Commander Bonge?"  
"We're getting a call Urth."  
"Oh right, Zim," Red said, "just send the transmission through and we'll take care of this."

Purple confidently nod but shortly paused.  
"Wait, isn't he suppose to be dead?"  
"Yeah why?" Red turned to the other tallest. He paused as well.  
"Wait. Bonge, what did you say the transmission was-?"

The monitor turned on and a tiny irken appeared on screen, his antennae raised and smiled in delight.  
"Ooo! My tallest!"  
He then realized his excitement and cleared his throat.  
"Invader Zim," he saluted, "signing in!"

The two leaders stared at the screen frozen. Purple makes hidden sad sniffles.  
"Pull it together," Red pat the other tall irken in comfort while still looking at the screen, "we can still get through this."  
"Hm, what was it?" Zim said in confusion.

"Ehem it's nothing," Red continued, "Uh...what...made you want to call us?"  
"Oh, right!" The small irken chirped, "wellll I was doing some research on the humans and I found...Er..."  
He cringes,  
"Interesting and...gross stuff."  
"What stuff?" The leader raised his eyebrow.

"Nnngh, no matter. Any how, I made discoveries on how humans have become more advanced because of technology."  
"U-huh?"  
"Annnnd I was just wondering if there was such thing as Irken existing without technology."  
Purple stopped sniffling. He turns to the screen in confusion.

"Without...technology?" Purple asked  
"I know. Sounds stupid and pathetic. With the whole thought that maybe irkens use to be born naturally."  
"Born...naturally?" Red asked.  
"Somehow human babies comes from a human's stomach. Seems other creatures on Urth do the same."

"And...you're saying we use to do something like that?"  
"...just a curiosity because I couldn't find any data on what happened before the irken empire's foundation."  
They froze.

"PFAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" They both howled in laughter, catching Zim by surprise and confusion. Gir overheard the laughing, causing him to join too.

"Oh that's a good joke," Purple wiped the tears off his eyes, "living without all our technology?"  
"Yeah," Red's laughter died down, "as if it was even a thing."  
"Yeah!"  
But Purple's laughter slowly died and thought for a moment.

"Can it?"  
Red glanced at him and thought about it.  
"I...guess not?"  
Zim notice their pondering and his eyebrows furrowed.  
"So...nobody knows."  
"Mmmm, I guess not," the purple irken said.

"Hm. Strange," Zim put his finger on his lip, "Do you think the control brains might know?"  
"We can ask, Zim. But even so, why would you be interested in these things? Shouldn't you be...planning something?"

"Why ofcourse!" Zim burst out, "this is all part of making a new great plan!"  
"Oh? And what plan is it?" Red asked.  
The small irken stood still...he was quiet for a minute.  
"...I'll call you both back."  
The screen goes off, leaving just the view of the planets.

The tallest both stared unamused.  
"How long do you think he'll call back?" Purple asked.  
"As long as it hopefully takes."

—

"GAH!" Zim shout out in anger while Gir was still hysterically laughing, "I let the sudden curiosity take a fool on me!"  
Gir continued laughing for a short before immediately stopping,  
"Hm?"  
"Since I put the whole irken reproduction thing into the subject, now I need to figure out a plan related to it! Yet how will it relate to stopping the humans?"

"Nyah," Minimoose floated back up.  
"As far as I can tell, creating a smeet won't change anything. It'll just be the same as the rest of us."  
"Nyah."  
"If making a natural irken even was possible, how would I even create one? It's not like we can tell how our body can even..."

He blinked.  
"Wait...I GOT AN IDEA!" He screeched  
"Are you going to lay an egg?" Gir asked.


	2. Chapter 2: The Plan

Zim pricks his finger, drawing out green blood, and filling it in a small serum. He plugs it into the scanning device and few moments later, it was read. The results are then shown in the computer.

"Hm...interesting."

Gir comes into observatory, seeing him still researching. Suckling on his soda drink, he walks over to him.

"What you doing?"

"It appears you were right about irkens laying eggs. But it doesn't seem the same as to how birds lay their eggs. From what it seems, the egg develops and incubates within an irken. However, either side of the gender can carry it."

He typed in something and the computer shows an example image of two irkens in an x-ray visions.

"The egg can be fertilized by an irken's blood being inserted into another irken. Once the two blood merges, an egg is formed, followed by the merged blood within it becoming the developing smeet."

He zooms in where a egg can be seen peeking out of an alien's inner flesh and attaching unto it.

"Once the egg is created and fertilized, it goes over to the location of the abdomen and goes out to be attached the inner flesh. The incubation may last to about two months. Once the egg is about to hatch, the irken lays the egg and it should take about one to three minutes for the smeet to hatch out."

Gir suckled on his soda for a long while. He let go of the straw and looked at his master.

"I have nooooooo idea what you just said."

"I agree. It sounds complicated. But Atleast I now know how a smeet is naturally born. And as terrible as it seems, I have to make a natural smeet anyway. Otherwise the tallest and Big Head will notice I have no plan. Besides, having another servant makes the job easier."

Zim went over to other side of the observatory, grabbed some tools, and started making something. Gir walked over.

"What you doing now?"

"Making a small rocket."

"Ooo! Are going to send a monkey into space?" Gir smiles in excitement.

"No Gir," Zim put the last remaining drop of his blood into the rocket. A robotic sound can be heard.

**"RACE IDENTIFICATION DETECTED. SEARCHING FOR THE NEAREST KIND."**

It made buzzing and whirring sounds.

**"NEAREST KIND DETECTED.**"

Zim held GIR's hand in order for both of them to take few step away from the rocket, watching it plum out smoke underneath and blasted off, breaking out of the dirt and leaving a hole on the underground base's ceiling.

"...W-where did rocket go?" Gir frowned.

"It'll come back," Zim answered, "it's just going over to draw a bit of the nearest irken's blood and come back with it. Should last...maybe about a day or two."

"Ohhhhhhh..."

Gir stared up at the hole.

"...IM GOING TO WATCH ANGRY MONKEY!"

He dashes near the elevator but turns to Zim.

"Are you coming, master?"

"...Eh. Not like I have anything else for the time being."

Zim followed his servant to the elevator and went up to the living room.

—-

One Month Later...

—-

Gir is seen on the living room's couch

humming and petting his blue small horse as he watches the show. Minimoose can be on the other side of the couch sleeping. On the television, it was showing one cute creature hugging a smaller creature.

"I LOOOVE YOU MAMA!" The smaller creature said

"I LOVE YOU TOO BABY BLOB!" Said the big creature

"WILL WE STAY LIKE THIS FOREVER?!"

"OH SWEETIE PIE, OFCOURSE WE CAN! FOREVER AND EVER-!"

Something suddenly crashed through the ceiling and through the living room's floor, leaving a hole that leads to the underground's base. Gir stares at the hole in silence. He grabs a pizza from a pizza box that was next to him and takes a bit out of it while still staring. He starts contacting someone.

—

"That's right..." Zim chuckles evilly within the bushes while looking at a pigeon on a tree's branch and had a claw sticking out of his PAK. It crept closer to it, trying not to make a sound.

"Come to Zim so I can dissect you..."

He was very close to grabbing it. His PAK suddenly buzzed and vibrates.

"GAH!" He jumps in surprise.

The pigeon notices and flies off. Watching it go, the alien disguised as a human growls in anger. He takes the video communicator out of his PAK and projects a video hologram, showing Gir chewing on the pizza.

"What is it now?! Didn't I tell you I would go out to collect data?!"

"Yes. But a rocket thingy just crashed into our home."

"Rocket thingy...wait...the DNA rocket came back?!"

"Mm. Maybe."

"Hm," Zim's eyebrow raised, "wonder what took it so long. No matter. Just don't touch it. I should be home soon."

He turns the video off and reels it back into his PAK. He pat twigs and dirts off of his uniform after getting out of the bush and started heading back to the base.

—

Zim and Gir entered the underground base as they went over to take a look at the small rocket that was steaming up smoke and half of it being buried on the ground. Once they approached it, the rocket sensed their presence and spoke out,

**"RACE DNA COLLECTING COMPLETE."**

Zim watches a tiny robotic arm come out, holding a tiny serum containing small dose of green blood.

"Perfect," he took the serum, "just what I need."

"Need what?" Gir looked in curiosity, but Zim ignores his question.

"Now for the difficult part. It may not be successful, but we should hope for the best."

He poured the blood into the syringe. He was hesitant at first, but he eventually inserted the syringe onto his arm and the blood entered his body. It stung, but he's been through worse. He put the syringe away and put a bandage around his arm. Gir gazed at him.

"...nnnnnothing happened."

"Ofcourse nothing happened. Atleast not yet. We will just have to wait and see," he finishes putting the bandage, "and hope I don't end up dying as a result."

"NOOOOO!" Gir embraced his master, "PLEASE DONT DIE MASTER! I LOVE YOUUUUuuuu...!"

"I doubt I'm going to die," he gently pulled him away, "and even if I do die, my PAK should reactivate me. It's the feeling of dying I don't like. Besides, as an invader, I must do whatever it takes to please the tallest. Even if it means risking my life."

Gir sniffles as he wipes his tear,

"I would risk my life for muffins and you..."

His antennae twitched when the robot said this. He doesn't know why it made his heart feel squishy, but he shook the feeling off.

"Yes, yes you would. Now...go do...your weird stuff I guess."

"OK!" Gir was suddenly in his usual delightful mood again as he started making playful screeches and started running around the room.

"WITHOUT interrupting my work," the irken squinted in annoyance.

He screeched to a halt and and saluted, his body turning red due to being in duty mode, and saluted him.

"Yes sir!"

Going back to his light blue self he kept running around the lab, this time screeching in a whispery tone. Zim just rolled his eyes, wondering how long he needs to father that insane robot before he grows out of it...that is if it's ever possible.

He decided to research some weasels to pass his time.


	3. Chapter 3: The Peanut

"So to review on our project of taking care of a child," Ms. Bitters said, "can anyone tell me why is it that we shouldn't have kids in the first place?"  
She looked around the room with the kids remaining silent. Her eyes then laid on Zim, to which he was seen with his face resting on the table and softly snoring.

"Zim."  
"Wait, cold unfeeling metal arm, I'll be awakeinasecon..." the green person mumbled in his slumber and continued snoring again. Ms. Bitters snarled.  
"ZIM!"  
"Uh-HAHOOO WHA?!" He jumped awake and looked across the classroom frantically for a moment. Once he relaxed, he looked at his teacher.  
"Oh. Hi, Ms. Bitters. Are we starting class now?"

"Class started TWO HOURS ago."  
"Two hours, are you sure?"  
"Do you think I would be joking?"  
He sat still gazing at her.  
"...maybe?"  
She squinted.  
"Sleep one more time and you'll see what it's like sleeping in the detention room."

"But I couldn't have slept. I don't REQUIRE sleep. It's just not possible."  
"Then maybe you should think twice before you decide to stay up late at night."  
"That's not what I-"  
"No more excuses! Now tell me. Why is it that we shouldn't we have children in the first place?"

He pondered about it.  
"Uh...cause some babies might end up being space monsters or meat?"  
Ms. Bitters looked at him for a short while.  
She looked at the other students,  
"Any other suggestions?"  
The kids sat still not answering.

Ms. Bitters grew impatient,  
"Well?"  
One kid raised their hand.  
"Yes?"  
"Because a baby might steal something from you while you sleep and eat it?"  
"Correct," Ms. Bitters said, "in fact, let me tell you all a similar story that happened to me. I once wanted to be a great babysitter. At the same time..."

Zim tried his best to listen to her, but it was difficult to focus on anything. He never felt this weak in his life. But it was a different kind of weak. A feeling of weakness that urges him to sleep and as far as he can tell, irkens don't require sleep. Not to mention that he feel his squeedlyspooch uncomfortably grumbling here and there, causing a sense of nausea for no apparent reason.

A week has passed since he inserted the other irkens blood into his body. Are these suppose to be symptoms as a result from this? If so, he wonders if this is how suppose to be like. Just as he was thinking of this, his organs suddenly tighten, causing him to cover his mouth in surprise. He got out of his chair and rushed out of the classroom.

The teachers stopped lecturing just to watch him rush out of the room. The room went quiet for a bit.  
"Well then," Ms. Bitters turned back to the students, "as I was saying, it was until that one fateful day when the baby-"  
"Wait a second!" Dib stood up from his chair narrowing, "how come Zim is allowed to go to the bathroom without taking a hall pass?"

The teacher looked at the glasses boy.  
"Clearly he was close to vomiting. And one last thing I need is for a student to vomit in my class. So going to the bathroom without a hall pass in order to throw up is allowed."  
"How come you never asked us that?" Dib asked in confusion.  
"You never asked."

"Oooooooo," the kid moaned, "my stomach hurts. I think I'm gonna throw up. Maybe it's best if I go to the-"  
"I can tell whether or not a student is lying," she told him, "now stay seated."  
His acting went away and he moaned in defeat.

Dib however was having difficult time looking back at the lecture. Zim was onto something and he can feel it in his guts. What if he just rushed out of the classroom as an excuse to fire a rocket into space before sending it down to nuke the city? What if he's planning on stealing all the adults living on Earth and have them do chicken dances in order to hatch a space monster?

Whatever it is, there was no way he was going to ignore whatever Zim is doing in the public bathroom. Dib turns and raises his hand,  
"Ms. Bitters, May I use the restroom."  
She looked at him. Then squinted. The glasses kid sweated nervously, feeling the concern of her disapproving increasing as the seconds rolled by.

After a minute of squinting, her eyes soften.  
"Fine, But make it quick."  
Dib smiled in relief as he went over to grab the hall pass and rushed out of the classroom.

—-

He can hear a familiar voice gagging the moment he entered the bathroom. Already knowing who it is, he went to the only bathroom stall that was half closed and kicked it open.  
"ZIM!"  
The green kid-sized alien was kneeling in front of the toilet. He coughed out the last amount of vomit and sickly looked at him.  
"Holdoncanyougivemeamoment?"

Dib felt his stomach get a bit queasy, realizing that he really wasn't faking the sickness.  
"Uh. Sure, take your time."  
He closed the stall and waited beside the sink as he heard him vomit again. After a minute went by, the toilet flushed. Zim gets out of the stall and looked at him mumbling,  
"Where's the water fountain?"

"Right outside of the bathroom, at the left side of the entrance."  
"Ok thanks," he left the bathroom and waited again, having to check his watch and make sure his "bathroom break" isn't lasting too long for Ms. Bitters to notice. Zim comes back to the bathroom finally felling relieved,  
"That's much better."

"You good now?"  
"Yes I'm good now."  
"Ok."  
Dib clears his throat before dramatically pointing at him,  
"ZIM! What are you up to this time?!"  
"...throwing up."  
"Throwing up what? Acids? An infection that will plague the whole country? Did you place Minimoose in the toilet while you were vomiting as a distraction? Are they going to nuclear bomb the whole city-?!"

"Ok ok ok," Zim halted him, "first off, I would never put Minimoose on my vomit. I'm not the type of villain who mistreats his servants like that. And second, none of them aren't my plan."  
"Then...what's your plan?"  
"Trying to create a smeet."  
"A smeet?"

He squinted,  
"In irken language, a baby."  
"Making a baby...Wait. Are you saying your vomiting was-"  
"Oh wait hang on. Let me make sure fertilizing was successful."  
He takes a floating device out and commands,  
"Floaty Computer, scan me to see if there is any other life form beside me."

The device scanned his body.  
**"ANOTHER LIFE FORM IDENTIFIED: AN UNHATCHED NATURAL IRKEN." **  
Zim blinked in surprise.  
"Huh...so it really did work."  
He suddenly glances at Dib, realizing he's still watching.

"I mean OFCOURSE it would work! Zim's experiments never fail!"  
The floating device goes back into his PAK. But Dib was putting the puzzle together until it clicked him.  
"Wait...you got yourself pregnant?"

"I'm not pregnant," the alien corrected, "I have an egg in my stomach that is developing a smeet inside and I will lay it once it's close to hatching."  
"That...sort of still sounds like pregnancy."  
"Pssh, you still have a hard time understanding my people, Dib."

"No I mean, what else can you call it? And how is it possible? Who's the mother...or...father if that's even the possibility?"  
"Don't know, don't care. All that matter is that I'm the sole reason this smeet is about to be born. And with a smeet about to be born natural after who knows what long, the tallest HAVE to acknowledge me."

"Did they ask you to get pregnant?"  
"No, but they should atleast see great potential in it. In fact, even I have no clue what it'll turn out to be. Maybe it'll help me take over the world with its...well...whatever it may be."

"That's...ridiculous," Dib narrows, "And what if it doesn't WANT to conquer the world? What if it just wants to be nurture and loved?"  
"Don't be stupid big head," Zim narrowed back, "as far as your study goes, irkens don't need love and they never should. They just do nothing but make us weak, distracted and helpless. And all this smeet needs is to fulfill their master's fulfillment."

"Whatever," the human said in irritation, "why should I ever bother with what you do? It is your baby after all."  
"It's a smeet," Zim corrected and then looked closely at Dib's expression.  
"Huh...I must have successfully ticked you off after all."

"Ah-eh-What do you think?!" He was starting to loose his nerves, "I know you're low, but I didn't think you were THAT low."  
Zim glanced about the room.  
"Wait. Do you really wanna fight here? Right now? While school is going on?"

Dib just rolls his eyes and starts leaving bathroom.  
"Uh, Wait," the alien called, "where you going?"  
"I'm not in a mood to fight today," he muttered as he opened the door.  
"So you're just going to let me continue my amaz-" Dib closes the door behind him "-and he's gone."

He stared at it for a while. Then his eyebrows furrowed, disappointed he wasn't able to challenge his enemy today. He honestly never made him mad enough to make him leave the room, which was something he didn't think was possible. But even so...

He shrugged.  
"Humans."

—

Zim comes home looking unsatisfied as he lets the computer take off his disguise. As much as the nausea has settled down for now, he was still not happy with fact he wasn't able to fight Dib today.  
"MASTER!"

He blinked in alert and saw Gir running so fast towards him, he was certain he will bombard unto his abdomen.  
"YOUR'E HO-"  
Something suddenly clicked just before Gir embraced, causing him to smack him away. The robot skidded a bit back and tumbled on the ground.

There was a tensed and defensive expression on the alien's face until it faded and realized what he did as he watched the SIR unit sit up and start sniffling.  
"Oh woah, Gir."  
He quickly went over to help him up.

"Hey, are you ok?" Zim asked, his tone having a sound of slight concern.  
Gir just kept sobbing,  
"I miss my nachos-HOW WAS SCHOOL TODAY?!" The robot let out a huge smile again.  
Zim gave an unamused.  
"Yeah, you're ok."

Gir blinked when he noticed something.  
"Do you need me to tuck you into bed?"  
Zim sighed and he rubbed one of his eyes tiredly.  
"Not now, maybe later. There's something I must do first."  
He stood up from his kneeled position.  
"Call everyone to the living room. I have an important announcement to make."

"Awww now?" The robot frowned, "I was hoping we would watch Angry Monkey Show together."  
Oh how it would have been nice to relax on the couch right now. But anything related to his duty comes first.  
"Now, Gir."

The robot moaned, but accepted. he prances off to tell the others.

—-  
"Now THAT is one good of a soda!" The robotic dad exclaimed holding out a bottle of oil, "would you like to try to some, son?!"

"It's healthy for you!" Robomom said.

"No 'mom and dad'," Zim pressed his hips in irritation, "I don't. And careful not to spill that on the couch! I already got the computer to clean up the base."  
"OOO!" Gir, sitting on the couch next to the other robots, raised his hand, "I WANT SOME!"  
"Here you go, little guy!" Robodad handed it to him. Gir went ahead and started suckling it in peaceful pleasure like an infant.

Zim looked about,  
"And WHERE is minimoose?"  
Just as he asked, he heard a car pull in and its engine shutting g off . And a few seconds later, a door flew open, showing a floating moose come in and closing it behind them with their telekinetic ability.  
"And where have you been?!" Zim crosses his arms, "shouldn't you be doing anything besides driving off the base like that?"

"Nyah!"  
"Woah, really?" Zim looked in surprise, "did you get her phone number?"  
"Nyah..." He squeaked frowning.  
"...Oh. Well...I'm sure you can get it next time. But for now, sit down. The meeting is about to start."  
He waited until his youngest servant rested on the couch besides Gir.

"Is everyone here now?" He looked about again, "where's the computer?"  
"**I'm always present**," the computer said in a tone as if it's obvious.  
"Good, were all here...huh...I don't think I ever gathered anyone here since Minimoose's arrival. Gives me quite a deja vu feeling."

The robots all quietly stared at him. After some awkward silence, the Invader cleared his throat.  
"Anyways, I am pleased to announce that we'll be adding a new sidekick to the base. They-"  
"OOOOOOO! WHERE IS IT WHERE IS IT WHERE IS IT WHERE IS IT?!" Gir jumped excitedly.  
"As of right now, it is right now in an egg growing inside of me and-"

"Nyah?" Minimoose asked.  
"Ugh!" Zim groaned, "why is everyone thinking I'm pregnant? I'm not! I just have an egg incubating in me!"  
"YOURE HAVING A BABY?!"  
"No, Gir it's not."  
**"Actually by my calculation, you pretty much are pregnant and the servant growing inside you is a smeet, not a baby. Which makes you a father now."**

"Ok," Zim looked up at the ceiling narrowing, "first off, what gives you the right to spill that information? Second, thank you for not calling it a baby. And third, don't call me a dad. Being a parent only make irkens a softie."  
**"But you are-"**  
"Ok, meeting's over. Everybody go back to your duty."

The roboparents and Minimoose scattered about. Zim sighed and went over to the couch. He can feel as if his body is crying in joy the moment he relaxed on the couch, something he thought was never possible. But here he is with this future servant within him draining his energy that not even his PAK can recharge.

He just hopes the two months go by quickly. He feels a light being hop onto the couch next to him, to which he already guessed who it is. But what caught him off guard was feeling a metal head rest on his belly. He looked down at the small figure.  
"Gir, what are you doing now?"  
"Mmm, trying to see if the baby says hello to me."

Zim exhaustedly rubs his eyes again.  
"Gir," he looks back at him, "as of right now, the bab-servant is just a tiny blob that may be a size of...well...maybe a peanut. It may not even have a mouth yet. So if your hoping to Atleast hear any sign of new life in there, you're probably just gonna hear my squeedlyspooch messing around with the food I ate. And maybe even my heart pulsing."

Gir just continued cuddling his master replying,  
"I love the sound of that..."  
The alien awkwardly gazed at him.  
"You're a creep."  
"I know I am," the robot responded back happily.

"Look," Zim tried to relax again, "just, don't disturb my slumber. No noises, no squirming a lot, I just need peace and quiet-"  
Gir yawned loudly and snuggled up with him more.  
"...I'll take that as a yes."  
Zim yawns as well and let his body feel as if it was sinking into the couch.

Eventually, he got use the small weight of the SIR unit sleeping besides him and he let the slumber fully bury his thought.


	4. Chapter 4: The Foolish

"**TROUBLING IRKEN SMEETS, YOU HAVE ONLY TWO MINUTES TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION,"** a robotic voice echoed across the underground tunnel. One smeet heard this and turned to another smeet looking about in curiosity.

"Come on Skoodge," the shortest smeet said, "I'm not going to stay here and eventually have my collar electrocute me because of you."

"Fascinating," Skoodge looked at the wall of the tunnel, which would often be seen having electricity surge through it, "it seems they do a great job making this area really secured so we don't escape again. I'm sure if we ever tried digging out, both our punishment collars AND the the wall would electrocute us to death. Very professional..."

The short smeet groaned in frustration.

"Fine. Get electrocuted, why do I even bother helping you out?" He walked off. Skoodge however blinked back to what he was suppose to be doing.

"Oh wait right, first day of our new school! Wait for me, Zim!" The thicket one scurried after him.

It didn't take long for the duos to reach their destination, since the tunnel has only one direction. There was an old sign with a blinking light that says:

"SFTS: School For Troubling Smeets".

A huge door below was already opened, that shows an empty tiny classroom. By the look of its worn out feature, it seems it hasn't been used for years

"Uh, are we really in the right place?" Zim questioned.

**"10 SECONDS LEFT. ENTER NOW AND TAKE YOUR SEATS."**

Without hesitating, they entered the classroom, the door quickly shutting tightly behind, and they took a seat right next each other. The two smeets grunted in surprised when straps came out from the floor and strapped them against the chair so they won't attempt to hop out of it.

**"LET THE SIMULATION TRAINING BEGIN."**

Holo-visors dropped down from the ceiling until they were dangling in front of them. Skoodge happily grabs one and puts it on.

Zim sighs,

"Welp back to doing boring stuff," he grabs a visor, "but Atleast I can be more professional on doing the military simulation now that I took a good quick look at the surface."

He puts the visor on, expecting to see a battlefield and given equipments like he normally experience. But what he noticed instead was a lab table in front of him and potions sitting about.

"Wait a second..." he processed and takes the visor off, "this is a simulation for scientist trainees. Hey um, computers?"

He looks about the room,

"I think this holo-visor is broken. Can you get me a new one?"

**"HOLO-VISOR IS WELL OPERATED." **

"No it's not well operated!" He narrows, "I'm preparing to become an invader, not a scientist!"

Skoodge takes out the visor in confusion on what's going on as the computer answers,

**"BECAUSE SMEET-IN-TRAINING ZIM IS THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR THE HORRIBLE PAINFUL OVERLOAD DAY PART II, HE SHALL BE RELOCATED TO DOING MILITARY RESEARCH." **

"But I don't WANT to do do science!" He exclaimed in frustration, "I wanna be an invader so I can prove to the world that I can be a great tallest."

**"SMEET-IN-TRAINING ZIM MUST CONTINUE SIMULATION." **

"But I don't wanna!" He kept complaining, "science is even MORE boring than military simulation! Now fix this thing and give me-!"

His body jerks and and quivers when the collar on his neck sends shockwaves across his body. He slips out of the chair, the strap letting itself loosen, and falls flat on the ground, his body sizzling a bit.

"Zim?" The taller smeet looks down in worry.

**"SMEET-IN-TRAINING SKOODGE MUST CONTINUE SIMULATION." **

He blinks in shock and made a quick glance at the smaller smeet struggling to get up as he looked back up at the ceiling.

"But Zim could be hurt."

"Eeeeehh, this nothing!" Zim attempted to shake off the pain and looked back at the ceiling, "I will not put on the visor until you fix it!"

**"SMEET-IN TRAINING ZI-"**

"JUST FIX THE VISOR AL-"

A shockwave surged Zim's body again and he collapsed back on the ground.

"Zim-gah!" Skoodge's body jerks from the electricity.

**"SMEET-IN-TRAINING SKOODGE MUST CONTINUE SIMULATION."**

"Y...y-yes. Right away."

He put the visor on and continue his duty.

"W-wait fool!" Zim's body quivered from the pain, But was still determined to fight back his argument, "I'm n-not done yet! You think t-the great Zim will-!"

He gets electrocuted again.

But even so, no matter how many times he gets inflicted by the punishment collar, he kept on trying to win the argument. The other student can do nothing but continue his simulation and keep listen to the small smeet yelp in pain every few seconds.

—-

The simulation class lasted three days endlessly. If it wasn't for the fact that they do not require sleep, they would have knocked out just few hours after the class started. Skoodge had his arm wrapped around the other sizzled smeet as they entered their cell and let him settle by the bed.

"Stubid stingy robods," Zim muffled, "whad do dey zink deyre doin mezzin wiff zhe fuchere talless?"

"Well I'm sure they-oh wait you have a small flame on your antennae."

Skoodge went ahead and licked his finger before pinching the flame out of Zim's antennae

"Oh...righd. Zhanks."

Skoodge made a quick fond smile,

"Don't mention it. Anyways, I'm sure there's a good reason they're relocating your position for now. Maybe...well..."

"Cauz I blagoud zhe planed twize?"

"No, I'm sure...wait, you caused a blackout before?"

"Clog ub zhe smeeds zhat cauz explodiezz and cauz zhe plaz tuu blag oud."

"Huh...no wonder I was never assigned a nursery cell with someone. But besides that, I think they just don't recognize you. After all, what you did back there was quite brave!"

Zim shook the sizzled appearance out of his body.

"Ofcourse I should be brave! A future invader, and tallest, should always be brave!"

Skoodge chuckled,

"Yeah.." He sighed softly smiling as he looked down, "I wish I was that brave."

"PFFFT!" Zim rolled his eyes, "it's easy smeesy! You'll get over your fears in a flash eventually. That is if you decide you want to be brave."

"I can try!" Skoodge chirped, "after all, were ten years old. We should be seeing the surface very soon."

"Uh...yes well-"

"Oh that's right!" The taller irken turn to the smaller one in complete interest like a curious child would, "you were able to see the surface, right?!"

"Yep!" Zim smiles in pride, "if it wasn't from your good tactics, I would have never been able to."

"What was it like?!" He leaned closer, "Did it really look like what our irken knowledge says?!"

Zim chuckled and crossed his arms in pride.

"Well, foolish Skoodge boy, what i saw was a pitiful world. But that is only because I haven't taken my position as leader again. But besides that, the surface is warmer than it is underground...and bright and noisy. Even so, its a pretty and stupid world to live in!"

The pudgy smeet's eyes sparkled in awe.

"Woooaaah...that makes me even MORE excited!"

"I know right?!" Zim's child instinct kicked in, "I can't wait to see the look on the tallest's face once she finally meets me! She would HAVE to make me an invader and make me drive the massive!"

"Yeah! Maybe when she assigns me to a planet, I hope it's a place with the most comfortable couch!"

He paused.

"Though thinking about it make me want to sleep," he begins climbing onto the top bunk bed.

"Mm? Wait! I haven't even gotten to the part on what I will name my SIR unit! And besides, you don't need to sleep!"

"But I WANT to sleep," he yawned, "after all, the cell can get dull enough to make you wanna sleep. But if you're curious on what I would name my SIR unit, it will probably be based on my favorite snack. What about you?"

"Welp! I thought long and hard, but I know already a special name for it: Zim Junior! Pretty cool name, huh?"

He heard no answer.

"Skoodge? ...Skoodge."

...he hears snoring.

"You feel asleep didn't you? ...fine. But let me know when you're awake."

He looks away and crossed his arms as he just gazed out emptily.

"...gnight."

He blink in surprise when Skoodge muffled those words. He looks away.

"Alright fine-"

—-

"-Goodnight."

Zim's antennae's twitched as he was waking up from the couch. He wasn't sure where the noise was coming from until he realized it was coming from the living room's television. Blinking awake, he sat up and saw Gir watching tv. What made him shoot up in alert was the fact that Gir was watching a time when Zim was a smeet and was settling in a cell with Skoodge.

"My past...but wh-?"

He paused. He slowly turned to his back and notices wires attached to his Pak. He gasps and sharply turns to the ceiling narrowing.

"COMPUTER! Didn't I ever tell you to play my memories on the television?!"

**"Well what was I suppose to do?"** The computer complained, **"your SIR unit wouldn't stop going on about wanting to see you as a smeet!" **

Zim softly squinted for a short while.

"Just next time, only listen to your master."

He pulled the wires out of his PAK, causing the monitor to go out.

"Awwwww!" Gir frowned, "I was gonna see the best part!"

"GIR!" The robot quickly turned to his master when he heard him call out his name, "you should know that my PAK is NOT a toy! There are lots of data in there that should REMAIN hidden! You understand?"

Gir stared...then snickered.

"Gir, are you listening?" he grew impatient.

Gir just continued giggling until he pointed to him,

"You were going to call me Zim Junior."

"...Yes. Yes I was. Until you chose your name first. Even so, DON'T mess with my PAK again! You understand?"

"I don't."

"Thank you."

He sighed and relaxed back on the couch, his hand relaxing on his stomach. He then took notice the moment he placed his hand on it that his stomach feels a little bit bulgy. Which was a bit surprising because it's been three days since he learned of the egg developing within him.

"Hm," he looked at it and slightly poked at it, "it seems the smeet is growing faster than I thought."

Gir gazed at him master in confusion. Zim gave unamused look at him.

"...the baby," he corrected.

"AWWWW!" Gir squealed, "GROWING BABY!"

Zim sighed again and looked back down at his abdomen,

"I can't keep dozing off like this, I need to get back to work and tell the tallest on my new progress."

He slipped out of the couch and turned to the monkey portrait.

"Computer, contact the tallest. I must tell them of my great new experiment!"

The computer didn't complain or say anything this time and the monkey portrait flipped away to be replaced by a monitor screen. The screen was brought to life with a static before it instantly cleared up to see the two tallest talking.

"So what we need to do is to inform him that he will be given a great reward for his effort at Hobo 13. When he does come, we will tell him that his last assignment will be being launched into another planet, but this time more deadly than the other planet he was assigned in. Those monsters should put an end to him once and for all."

"Hey," Purple smiled, "that's not a bad idea at all. I'll let the commanders know that he'll-"

"My tallest?"

The two almighty tallest quickly turned to the sound and their eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh! Zim," Red cleared his throat, "we weren't informed that you were going to call us."

Zim chuckled and rubbed the back of his head,

"Yeah, maybe I should have called you both the moment I found out."

Purple's eyebrow raised,

"Found out about what?"

"Oh right!" Zim smiled, "you will not believe this, but I have discovered how irkens use to be born. They actually do grow inside an irken's stomach! But, they are growing inside an egg thats being incubated and nurtured by the irken's nutrients. So when they're about to hatch, the irken gives birth to them and they hatch shortly after!"

"Oh um," Red tries to find a way to respond, "Well done, Zim. Is that all you wanted to inform us?"

"Oh no no no no! That's not even the best part. In fact, I have made a rocket to bring back a random irken's blood and insert it inside my body. So now I have a natural smeet growing inside me!

The duos stared blankly.

"...I'm sorry what?"

"I know, right?!" Zim said in excitement, "I told you both you would be excited."

"You never told us th-"

"As of right now, I'm about a week and three days along and already I feel a little bump in there," he looked down and rubbed it while saying it.

"Uh...that's...nice, Zim. But-"

"I even did an ultrasound and took a picture of the growing smeet as proof!" He took out a picture and showed it to them.

"See?! It even looks like a deformed peanut."

"Zim," Red rubbed his eyes in a bit a stress from trying to process all of this, "this is...interesting and all. But question one. Who is the parent? Question two. When will it be born? And question three. Why would you even do this to yourself?"

"And question four," Purple whispered to Red, "is giving birth to a natural irken even legal?"

"Heck if I know," Red shrugged, "but if it's not, the control brains will not be happy about it."

"Ok, I'll just say the answers all at once so it won't be a mouthful," the small irken continued.

"I don't care who's the parent, in about less than two months, and I'm just loyal to you both that I'm willing to make you proud by making something new."

"I see...very interesting," Red tried his best to give a smile of interest.

"Yeah," Purple said, "in fact we're so interested, we'll tell the control brains about it."

"Awww shucks," Zim blushed in pride, "I'm just glad I'm making the empire better."

"Yes. Well...keep up the good work."

"Will do, my tallest!" He saluted.

The monitor went off.

"See?" Zim looked at Gir, "I told you they would love it!"

Gir blinked. Then smile.

"Can I give the baby tummy a hug-?"

"No," he immediately answered with still a smile on his face.

—

"Red, come on, we have to tell the control brains!" Purple smiled, "if it's true natural irkens are illegal, we can eliminate Zim once and for all!"

"You remember what happened in the trial Purple," Red narrowed, "were not letting them do that attempt again."

"Oh right," Purple frowned and looked down at the ground, not even want to think of the result Zim's PAK temporarily did to the control brains.

"Hey," Red place his hand on the other tall irken's back, "cheer up. Sure we had tons of bad luck with every killing attempts we made. But I can be sure there HAS to be a way to get rid of him. Somehow, we will find it no matter how long it takes!"

Purple smiled,

"Heh yeah. I guess you're right."

"But I agree that we should inform the control brains about the smeet. But first, we'll take care of-"

Thudding sounds are suddenly heard from within the walls until it became distant. Red sighed.

"Can someone PLEASE take better care of the ship's functions? I swear, this is the second time I heard it today!"

—-

Another few days later, Zim and Gir are inside the space station located outside of Earth. The pregnant irken is seen repairing minor problems of the space stations engines, his bump now starting to become noticeable.

"Are you done yet?"

"No."

"Are you done yet?"

"No."

"Are you done yet?"

"Wait."

Zim made some last screws and took one last look at it. He closes the engine door and opens up a monitor on the wall next to it typing.

"Stay still Gir," Zim told his robot.

Soon after he said this, he tapped on the monitor and lasers filled across the hall.

"Good. Security lazers are up and running again," the technical invader said as he turns them off again.

"I'll just have to make sure I turn them back on before we head back to the base."

As he was wrapping things up, his PAK vibrated.

"Hm. Must be Minimoose calling."

He takes the communicator device out of his PAK and produces a hologram that showed Minimoose gazing at him with the usual derpy look and smiley face as always.

"What is it, Minimoose?"

"Nyah!"

"An intruder? Where?"

"Nyah."

"And you sure you don't know what it is?"

"Nyah."

Zim groaned in frustration,

"Must be either Dib or a human wandering into the base again. We'll be right over."

He turns off the communicator and put its back inside.

"We have to get going," he told his SIR unit, "Minimoose is reporting a sound coming from the basement."

"Can I see the lasers again first? They were pretty."

"Now," he told him and started walking back to the small ship. Gir was a bit upset, but followed anyways.

—-

Once Zim and Gir put on their Earth disguises, they used the elevator to head to the basement floor. Minimoose was there looking at the piles of boxes. Zim walked up to them saying,

"You sure you heard the intruder behind those boxes?"

"Nyah."

Zim sighed and grabbed a rake.

"I'll take it from here."

He walks close to the boxes.

"You, intruder! Step out from the piles of boxes! Zim knows you're hiding here!"

There were silence.

"If you don't step out I'll...I'll poke you with this rake! A deadly weapon, you're lucky my enemy didn't teach it to you!"

There was still silence.

"...oookay? I guess we'll do it the old fashion way!"

He grabbed the rake tightly, ready to attack the intruder with it. But right before he did so, a fly came out from a porthole ceiling. Zim and his other servants watch in awkward silence as the fly disappeared behind the pile of boxes. There was a three second pause.

"...eh-hoo, WHA?! GET AWAY, GET AWA-!"

The pile boxes were suddenly shoved and they started falling forward towards the gang. They all made a short scream and got out of the way. During in which Zim hugged his belly in a protective instinct and remained doing so even after he was able to dodge the fallen objects. Dust covered half the room for a moment and it took a short while of keeping the unborn smeet protected that he turned to look closely. The dust cleared off and he can tell there is a curled up figure behind the fallen boxes.

He stood up, his hand still resting on his abdomen, as he cautiously walked up to the intruder. He then heard the intruder groan as it started crawl pass the boxes. The dust finally cleared and the small alien blinked in surprise when he saw the intruder was an irken. But it was not just any irken. It's body appeared to be wider and pudgier then himself, followed by his short and separated ruby eyes. It was also wearing an invader uniform with stains at the front of it and is wearing pink gloves and boots.

The moment Zim realized who it was, the irken looked at Zim. He rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

"Heheh...it's...nice to see you again."


	5. Chapter 5: The Move In

"...Skoodge?"

Zim finally let go of his tiny smeet bump and took off his human disguise in order for his old childhood friend to recognize him,

"What on Urth are you doing here? How long have you been in here?"

"Oh! I've only been here since last night. I was hoping my hiding spot would have lasted longer."

"I see. And why are you even here? Shouldn't the tallest have...'promote you' after your effort to get through the Hobo 13 training?"

"Yeah," he looked away from his face frowning, "but it's a little more complicate than-"

Skoodge suddenly traced his eyes at Zim's tiny bump. He gasped in awe, causing the smaller irken to look at him confused.

"So it really is true, isn't it?"

"...I-isn't it what?"

"You really are having a smeet!" He smiled in happiness, "congratulations on becoming a parent!"

Zim's eyes went huge and his antennae shot upward...

He then looked closely at the bulge in order to analyze it.

"Though I gotta say. It does seem to be growing quicker than expected."

Zim's shock turned into confusion and anger and pushed him away from it.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS?!"

Skoodge's eyes were huge from being off-guard at Zim's sudden outburst.

"Well I just-"

"Tell me! Did a rocket ever go over and draw your blood?!"

"N-no, why? Are you suspecting that the smeet can have part of my blood? Cause if so-"

"Does EVERY irken knows about this now?! Did the tallest announce this without telling me?!"

"N-no?" Skoodge frowned, "I-I don't think so-"

"THEN HOW DO YOU KNOW IM MAKING A SMEET?! Have you been spying on me this whole time? Cause if so, you're sick Skoodge. SIIIICK!"

"I actually-"

"SIIIIIIICCCCCK-!"

"Ioverheardit!"

The shorter irkens tensed body soften a bit and raised his eyebrow confused.

"Overheard it? You couldn't have overheard when you've only been hiding here for a day."

"No, not like that. I overheard you saying it to the tallest," he admitted.

Zim gazed at the irken intruder. He crosses his arms.

"You better have a good explanation for what you just said."

"I didn't mean to purposefully find out about the smeet. In fact, I was doing something else while it was happening. And there's something else I heard that made me want to stay over at your place."

Zim blinked in uncertainty, but was finally willing to listen.

"...Go on?"

Skoodge took a deep breath and sighed.

"Ok, so I noticed just a month after the Hobo 13 training that the tallest have yet to promote me. So I decided I would go over there myself in order to remind them since...you know...the Operation Impending Doom II might have made them busy. The irkens guards wouldn't let me through however because they stated that the tallest were 'planning on their next attack on a planet'. So i decided to take another route by squeezing inside of the air vents."

"By the time I got to command room where they always reside at...I...heard a different kind of planning."

—

Skoodge is seen crawling through the air vents and started to hear faint voices of the leaders. Happy that his plan was a success, he started looking for an opening that he can squeeze out from.

"...Ugh, where is that thudding sound coming from?" Purple's voice can be heard as the pudgy irken can see a light up ahead.

"Eh, must be the ship's engines being wonky again. We'll get someone to fix it later."

"Mmm. That's true."

The invader finds the light coming from the door vent located the left side of the vent. He reached out to open the door.

"So what was it about Invader Skoodge?"

His reaching hand halted at the mention of his name.

"Oh yeah," the red one replied, "short and ugly one. What about him?"

The moment it was certain he didn't misheard it, the irken's body quivered up in excitement. He just knew that tallest weren't too busy enough to forget about him! He was very curious on what they will say. If they were really planning on doing a public promotion ceremony just for him, he hopes they'll let him make a decoration theme for it!

"Uh..." Purple looked in confusion, "didn't you say something about wanting to make a plan revolving around him?"

"Mmmmm-oh yes that's right. Ok so...you recall the fact he was able to successfully survive Planet Blorch twice."

"Uh-huh?"

"And he was able to survive Hobo 13 as well. Along with..." He shuddered, "the 'Z" word."

"Uh-Huh."

"So I was thinking. Because we know for sure that if the empire keep taking note of the fact that the shortest invader was able to conquer the planet first, there could be chance everybody will start treating short ones in a whole different direction."

"As if worrying about Zim causing trouble again wasn't enough," Purple sighed, "can't the control brains just erase Skoodge?"

The invader's smile softly faded into confusion as he kept listening.

"The control brains can't erase someone who hasn't done a crime a yet," Red replied.

"What about back when he and Zim caused the second blackout?"

"Zim is the SOLE reason of the second blackout. Skoodge was just the follower. Not to mention he caused more trouble by seeing the surface at an early age."

"Oh yeaaah..."

"Even so, you remember, what the control brains told us the second we became the almighty tallest-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know. But even so, how are we going get rid of someone that doesn't have criminal records?"

"Glad you asked," Red smiled as if he was a professional as the screen behind them suddenly turned on to reveal Zim on the monitor. Although Skoodge lit up a bit to see his childhood friend on the screen, it was interrupted by the tallest continuing their conversation without noticing.

"So what we need to do is to inform him that he will be given a great reward for his effort at Hobo 13. When he does come, we will tell him that his last assignment will be being launched into another planet, but this time more deadly than the other planet he was assigned in. Those monsters should put an end to him once and for all."

Zim obviously had a blank awkward gaze on what exactly they were talking about and who they were referring to. But the hiding irken immediately felt as if his heart slammed down unto the bottom pit of his squeedlyspooch.

"Hey," Purple smiled, "that's not a bad idea at all. I'll let the commanders know that he'll-"

"My tallest?" The irken on screen finally spoke out, causing the two tallest to quickly turn to the screen.

"Oh! Zim," Red cleared his throat, "we weren't informed that you were going to call us."

The tallest and the shortest irken began their conversation. And although Skoodge continued listening, he still had a stunned and horrified look on his face

—

"It was soon after I found out about the tallest's true intentions was when I overheard about you having a smeet. Even so, after you finished talking with them was when I left the Massive as soon as possible."

Zim had a blank look.

"Oh," he said it in a nonchalant tone.

Skoodge then sat down to a box nearby and lowered his head in sadness.

"I just don't know what I did wrong. I followed everything they said. I was the first one to conquer a planet, did the training and everything. Why would they lie to me? I thought I was being useful..."

Zim still awkwardly looked at the tearful invader.

"Uhhhh. Yeah well," he rubbed the back of his head, "it was kind of obvious you know. It's surprising you weren't aware of it for so long."

"Wait," Skoodge looked at him in surprise, "you knew they're were tricking me?"

"I kind of known it from the beginning," Zim told him, "I'm sure even all the smeets underneath Irk's surface we're aware. Somehow I always wondered if you were ever going to find out."

"...huh," he looked back down again, his eyes glistening by the hurtful reality, "I guess so. I just wish someone were to tell me sooner."

"Right right right. Well Skoodge, I know you're going through a tough truth and all, but I guess it's time you pack things up and move to a different place. After all, the Irken Armada should be coming here shortly and you don't want them to feed you to a Digester."

The pudgy irken's antennae peeked up in alert.

"W-Wait!" He called out to Zim before he walked over to the elevator. He halted and turned back to his childhood friend. "There's uh...another reason I decided to come."

The technical invader's eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Since I have nowhere to go now and I have nothing else to be a part of..."

Skoodge twiddled his fingers for a short while before he shyly looked at him with a fond smile.

"I was...you know...wondering if I can help you conquer this planet?"

Zim stood still with still a suspicious look.

"...Huh?"

"Well just think about it! With someone who was able to conquer a planet, I can-"

"Ohh no!" Zim swiftly stomped over to the other irken, "no no no no no! NO!" He pokes strictly his nose if he had one, with Skoodge looking at him uncomfortably nervous.

"I know what you're trying to do," he continued, "trying to rub the 'I conquered the world first' on my face! If you think Ill just let you 'help' me by taking charge of my invasion, it is NOT gonna happen! Your were just lucky I say. LUCKY!"

"But..." Skoodge softly frowned, "I never said anything about taking charge of your invasion."

"THAT DOESNT MEAN YOU SHOULD-Wait what do you mean?"

"Look," he took a breath, "maybe I could've been lucky. Sometimes I wonder myself how I was able to survive those Slaughtering Rat People. Even so, maybe my experience as an invader can help me give you advices."

"Well Zim doesn't need advices," he crossed his arms with a pouty expression, "Zim always knows how to make great schemes!"

Skoodge blinked.

"Well even if you don't need advices," he walked up to him, "then maybe an extra help will be nice."

The smaller one was quiet this time. He looked back at him with now a soft questioning look.

"You're sure you're not going to take my place."

"I mean," he shrugged, "why would I do that to begin with? This is your planet after all, Zim. And once it is assigned to someone, it can't be taken away. And if I know my friend correctly is that no matter what, he'll always find a way to succeed in something."

His anger finally fully subsided, leaving only a decisive look on his face. He looked across the basement. The servants were peaking out and looking at them holding a conversation the whole time. Around them though, the junks were all attempted schemes he used that ended up being failures. Most of them being stuff that Gir showed off while they were planning for phase two. The membrane bracelet that was recently added can also be seen along the junks. Even the thought about growing a smeet within him doesn't help either.

As successful as it's looking, it's already showing to be affecting his health to the point where he's sleeping and puking almost all the time, which can delay his duties. Not to mention he has no clue what the child will turn out to be and how he'll handle it. After a minute of thinking, he turned to Skoodge and squinted.

"Fine. You can stay and be part of the mission."

"Really?" His eyes sparkled in happiness.

"Yes. But rules to follow. No commanding my servants except me and you will not and I mean NOT conquer my planet! This is my mission and you must follow my orders no matter what! Got it?"

"Yes!" He saluted, "I will not fail you!"

"YAYYYY!" Gir came out from hiding and squealed, "A NEW FRIEND!"

"Nyah!" Minimoose squeaked happily.

"Now now you two," Zim told them, "don't think he'll be moving in permanently. Understand?"

"Nope," Gir instantly answered and rushed over to embrace the new member.

"HI THERE IM GIR!"

Skoodge chuckled and petted the robot's head.

"Oh yeah, I met you before. I saw you when you were created by the tallest and given to your master. I think you even met me and Chipz before you both departed."

Gir curiously tilted his head,

"Who is Chipz?"

"My SIR unit."

The robot gazed at him still confused.

"You know," Skoodge patiently smiled at him, "red eyes, deep voice, the one who was always quiet-"

"OH YEAHHH I REMEMBER THE QUIET ONE!" Gir smiled. He looked around.

"Is he here?! Where is he?! Is he playing hide and seek?!"

Skoodge smile faded into a blank look.

"Say," Zim pondered and looked at the other invader, "now thinking about it, where is your SIR unit?"

Skoodge stared blankly. He looked down at the ground.

"He uhhhh..."

Zim's eyebrow raised waiting for his answers. Skoodge took few seconds to look back at Zim with a sad smile.

"He was...able to fulfill his duty."

Although Zim's expression changed to a blank gaze, his antennae softly lowered in realization of what it meant. As much he wanted to act careless as usual, that was a topic a little too heavy to act careless about.

"ARE YOU OVER HERE? Nope. ARE YOU OVER HERE? Nope. ARE YOU OVER-"

Gir tripped on one junk and fell over, making crashing sounds and then short silence.

"...Nope."

Zim turned to watch his eldest servant crawl out of the pile, shaking some small scraps out of his body and try looking again.

"Gir!"

The robot immediately turned to him.

"Quick fooling around and show Skoodge around the base."

"But I wanna look for-"

"Chipz is somewhere else. Just show Skoodge around the base."

"Yes, sir!" He saluted in red color before prancing over to the new member and grabbing his hand tugging at it.

"Come!" He chirped happily, "I'll show you where I do tea time with my pig!"

Skoodge decided to accept it by giving the robot a warm smile,

"Heheh, okay."

He let the robot pull him over to the elevator and they went up.

Zim stares out from where they left unamused. Minimoose floated next to him, their eyes locking onto their master.

"Nyah."

"No!" Zim yapped at him, "I wasn't being soft for a moment. I just didn't want Gir ravaging through the junks! They can be useful later."

"Nyahhhhh..."

"Nope! Nope!" He looked away, "not listening."

"Nyaaaaaaaah," the floating robotic moose flipped upside.

His antennae lower in frustration and defeat.

"Fine. So what if I was soft around Skoodge? But it was for a good reason."

"Nyah?"

"You don't wanna know," he sighed and looked down at the ground in silence.

...Minimoose slowly went really close to their creator's face with a smile. It took a short while for him to realize how close minimoose was and flinched.

"Nyah," Minimoose happily smiled.

"No no. I TECHNICALLY lost the argument," he argued with his youngest servant, "because I ALSO did it to keep Gir distracted."

"Nyah."

His eyes squinted at them for a while. Finding a way to stop them from pointing the fact on his face, he responded,

"Shouldn't you be doing something else?"

Minimoose made a soft rubber duck sound when shaking their head.

"Really. Nothing at all? Not even trying to see if you will be able to get that girl's phone number?"

The floating being froze while still in their normal happy self, but their derpy eyes slightly shrunken.

"..."

Before Zim can ask them again, it launched out of the ceiling and make holes on each levels till it lead to the surface. Minimoose dashed off, their creator loosing sight of them.

"Hey!" He shouted out, "the computer just fixed that!"

But he heard a car turn on and make a harsh screeching sound until it faded away. Zim was going to call out for his servant when beeping sounds were sounded.

"Ugh, what is it now?" Zim asked the computer.

**"Vortians babies' dookies ejected."**

Zim looked at the ceiling and facepalmed stressfully.

"Does it have to be now?"

**"That is if you're fine with the prisoners crying loudly in the observatory-"**

"Right right right. Look! I want you to go ahead and repair the ceilings while I take care hostages."

**"But I just repaired those ceilings!" **

"Oh well who's complaining now," he pressed his fists on his waists.

"Look," he pointed out, "if you don't wanna help with the ceiling then you can take the dookies out instead."

The computer stayed silent.

"Well?" The irken's eyebrow raised waiting.

**"...Ill do the ceilings, my master." **

"Good. Then get right on it," he walked over to the elevator as the robot arms started appear and do the repairs.

"And it better look exactly how it looked few minutes ago!"

—

Zim was wearing an oxygen mask as walked fast paced with three diapers on his hands and placed it on the incinerator bin. He also took the gloves off to add it in there. Even when they were all burnt to dust, he can feel the sickness creeping in again.

"Ugh...stinking Vortian babies," he muttered.

"Daddy!"

Daddy!"

"Where's papa?"

"Play play play!"

"Toy time toy time-!"

"SILENCE!" He shouted at the babies of a different alien race inside a prisoned capsule. Although they stopped chattering, the triplets still happily looked at the irken without any worries.

"You should all be lucky your 'father' now serves me. Otherwise, I would have thrown you all out the moment I brought you mindless brains in here."

The one in the middle giggled.

"Fatty!" He points at Zim's stomach.

"It's TEMPORARY fat!" He argues back.

"Hey Zim?" Skoodge peeked from a opened door that had an underground tunnel leading to the other small labs.

"What is it Skoodge?" Zim responded while still glaring at the babies, "can't you see I'm arguing with 777's babies?"

"Do you think I can make a room here?"

"Eh sure go ahead I don't care," He shooed him.

"Great!" He smiled, "thanks!"

He quickly sinks back inside.

"Now, where were we? Oh yeah. It's not FAT anyways! It's-wait what did he ask me?"

A rumbling was heard and not few seconds after, booming sounds and violent quaking were heard and felt, causing him to fall in a kneeled position and hang on. Once it stopped, he turned to the door in alert. He got up and rushed over.

When walking through the tunnel, he saw another tunnel opening on the left side that wasn't there before and entered there. Zim entered the new room and took a moment take a look at it. The room was mixture of a bedroom, some computers, and a tiny kitchen section that had a fridge and microwave.

"What do you think?" Skoodge asked Gir, Who was looking about. The robot smiled and burst out,

"YAYYYY! MY NEW ROOOOM!"

"It's...mostly a room for me. But we can share it if you like."

"YAYYYYYY OUR NEW ROO-"

"SKOODGE!"

The chubby irken and robot both looked at Zim.

"What in the name of tallest is this?!"

"Oh hey Zim!" Skoodge happily, "Do you like my new room? I thought it would make things more homey for me!"

"Why would you even make yourself a bedroom?! We don't even-!"

He facepalmed.

Skoodge's smile fade,

"But you said that-"

"Yes. I know what I said but-"

He sighs in defeat. Then looks at him again still irritated.

"Just know that if I ever need you over, you MUST come over. We didn't agree that you would lounge around here like a pig."

Gir snickers,

"I like pigs."

He looks at Zim,

"Can we name the baby tummy Pig?"

"No Gir, that's the most ridiculous name to give to Me Junior."

"Hm," Skoodge sat down and looked at him, "I am curious, have you ever thought about what you will name the sm-"

"Zim."

"...huh?"

"It's name will be Zim."

Skoodge blinked in silence.

"But-"

"The smeet has my blood and will be the secondary ruler of this world. So it's name will be Zim."

Skoodge blinked again.

"But the smeet only has half your blood with us not being sure what other half it carries. Besides, wouldn't that be confusing to tell who were referring to if there's two Zims?"

The small irken thought about it.

"Huh, I guess you're right," he started to think it through.

"How about we call it Pi-?"

"We are NOT naming it after a filthy fat creature!" He shouted at Gir.

"Awww," Gir looked down frowning.

"You know you still have enough time," Skoodge pointed up with a soft smile. "After all, the smeet won't be here until...uh..."

"One month and three weeks if the computer's calculations are correct. But it indicates it might change over time. But let's not talk about the smeet. Didn't you remember what I told you earlier?"

"Not to lounge a lot when the mission is active."

"Correct. Now since you have nothing else to do, you can help fix the ceilings in the basement?"

"The ceilings?"

"Long story. You'll see it when you get back down there. Now move!"

"Right, sir!" He saluted and was starting to leave the room, the pregnant irken rubbing his forehead stressfully at everything that has happened in one day. He might as well steal Skoodge's bed once he fully leaves.

"Oh! And Zim?"

"What?" He sharply turned to the other alien impatiently.

Skoodge looks at him and gives him smile.

"I'm glad we're working together again. It'll be just like old times!"

He remained quiet but tried to look careless as he watch him walk out of the room. That foolish invader just always seemed to show such loyalty towards him, despite all the moments he pushed him into danger just to get what he wants. It's not really something that has ever bothered him, he always found a thing where he just leaves a random person behind a completely normal thing to do.

They're just strangers. whatever their situation is, they should handle it by themselves. Yet this guy always comes back to him all battered, scratched, and beaten only to still show loyalty towards him. He guess it must be why he got along with him to begin with. After all, he didn't really have anyone else who he can turn to long before Gir and Minimoose. But given that after they graduated smeet school and got caught up with other things, not to mention the sense that Skoodge is being prideful about being able to conquer a planet first before him, he feels their friendship has been distant. Not that he should complain about it, these things happen all the time. And yet he wonders...

Gir giggled,

"Yep! Just like good ol times!"

Zim glanced at Gir, not scolding him this time. He looked back out.

"Yeah..." he said in complete uncertainty on how he should really feel about it.


	6. Chapter 6: The Moths

Zim can be seen looking out the window that shows the front yard. He appears to be refusing on turning his face away from it. Not even the sound of Skoodge eating potato chips, Gir sucking on his soda drink, and Minimoose chattering at the phone made him want to look away. It has now been two days since Skoodge has moved in. There were often times the food within Zim would feel as if it's not digesting properly. But other than that and another thing that's bothering him, nothing much has changed.

"Zim?"

He kept staring at the window.

"Hey, Zim?"

He finally gave in and turn to one of the trios at couch while showing signs of unsatisfaction.

"Yes, Skoodge?"

"Hey, you good there?" He frowned in concern, "you been looking out that window for a day now. Are you feeling ok? Is it the smeet? Do I smell funny?"

"Uh, no."

He looks back out the window.

Confused, Skoodge glanced at Gir to see if he has the answer since he is his master. But Gir just shrugged, not knowing himself, and looked back at the television suckling on his drink again. It was probably best not to ask Minimoose next since it looks like they're doing something important. He then looked back at Zim.

"I mean, if it's something that's bothering you, I understand if you need some time-"

"THAT PATHETIC MONSTER-SIZED HEAD!" Zim slammed his fist onto a wall in frustration, causing the trios to flinch and quickly turn to their leader.

"Who does he think I am?! A joke?! He must be lounging around and stopping a unicorn rather than ME!"

Skoodge gazed at him for a moment before asking him in confusion,

"Who is Dib?"

Zim laughed almost immediately, making the other irken more confused.

"Oh," his laughter eased and wipe his tear away, "I don't think anyone has ever asked me that. Who is Dib, Who is DIB! Who is the big head who have always been spying on me? Or tries to expose me in school? Or make me...?"

He quietly watched him keep muttering to himself. He turns to Gir,

"Do you think the gestation is making him act like this?"

Gir stopped drinking and looked at Skoodge's

"Nnnnah, I think he's always been this way."

He goes back to drinking with Skoodge recalling back to the moment him and Zim first met.

"Oh yeah, you're right."

He looked back at his friend,

"But it could be both."

"...Oh yeah sure, the mysterious person name 'Dib Monster'," Zim continued, pacing left and right across the living room, "who WOULDN'T know him?! Going to abandon his mission on stopping me huh?!"

"Zim," Skoodge got up and walked over to him, "if it's someone who's been bothering you, then I can talk to whoever Dib is."

"He's always bothering me."

Zim looked at the other irken,

"Atleast until a a week ago."

Skoodge now tilted his head in confusion. Zim continued,

"Ever since my arch enemy found out about about the smeet, he started to get angry at me for no good reason! Saying that it should be-" he then makes an annoying imitation , "'nurtured and loved'! Bleh, gross! Humans can just be disgusting when it comes to love! Makes them more easy to control!"

Skoodge looked at him for a while before gazing off and scratching his head, trying to find the best response.

He then looks back at him.

"I mean, uh, I don't know how to respond about the whole 'parental love' thing. But if I were you, maybe you can...talk it out with him?"

Zim groaned,

"Does talking with your enemy ALWAYS have to be part of the solution?!"

Skoodge shrugged,

"Or I can talk it out with him."

"PFFT! That the stupidest idea to do. You? Encountering an obsessed paranormal investigating kid? With no experience on Urth whatsoever? You haven't even gotten into your disguises and been out in public yet! Not to mention you still need to get enrolled in Skool. The second you meet Dib by yourself, he will lock you up right away!"

"But that's only if I wear a disguise, right?"

"He was able to identify me as an alien the SECOND he saw me on the first day of Skool. Even when I was in my brilliant human disguise. It makes me want to vomit when I have to force myself to compliment him but," he squinted, "he's THAT professional. Especially for a kid."

The new member's eyes widened in surprise.

"How come no one else knows about it? Shouldn't he have told the others?"

"Humans are pathetically stupid. They don't bother listening to a 'crazy' kid point out that someone is an alien. Even the tiniest evident won't interest them. Even so, that doesn't mean you should get too off-guard. Too much evidence can..."

He stopped in mid-sentence. He started to ponder about something.

"Zim? What is it?" The other invader asked.

"Hmm. Maybe you're not fully prepared to face him by yourself yet. He tends to be good at making tricks...not to mention that waiting for him to return won't do..."

He kept thinking for a short while. He turned back to him.

"Skoodge, I want you to come with me to the Membranes' house."

"Membranes?"

"That's where Dib lives with, along with his family. Go make a disguise and meet me by the door."

He looked up at the ceiling.

"Computer! Disguise!"

Robotic arms came out carrying the plastic human eyes and black wig as they put It on Zim, taking on a more human appearance. He notices Skoodge still standing.

"Aren't you going to do what I said?"

Skoodge frowned. He looked down at his bump.

"But...you're starting to show quite a lot now. And you told me that only female humans can carry a child. Wouldn't anybody notice or get suspicious?"

"It's fine," he looked down and patted it, "I'm sure people would just think that I'm putting on some weight. Like I said, humans are pathetically stupid."

"Huh..."

Skoodge let out a smile,

"Very clever! Even your smeet has a good disguise!"

Zim gave a small sense of pride.

"That is because it's blood is being shared by the greatest invader!"

His pride soften,

"Now hurry up and find a disguise for yourself."

"Right away, pal!"

"Sir," Zim corrected, not wanting anybody on this planet to get a sense that he shows bond with one of his members.

"Oh yeah. Right away, sir!" He saluted and went into another room to make his disguise.

Zim tapped his foot impatiently and rest against the wall while waiting and his servants were just by the couch doing their usual. He often times felt a sense of a twitchy feeling on his slightly swollen abdomen, which he has taken a little more notice of. He can guess it has to be a new symptom from the smeet's development, yet he can't be so sure what it can-

"Ok! Got it!"

He forced his gaze away from his small bulge as he watched the other irken come back out of the kitchen in pride.

"TADAH! What do you think?"

Zim took a close look at his human disguise. It seems the only disguise he had were two plastic human eyes with a dark greenish iris, a short curly brown wig that is a bit unkempt, and a glasses to go with it.

"Hm," he placed his hand near his lip while analyzing it, "not as good as my amazing disguise. But that will do."

He looks at the two robots.

"Gir, Minimoose. Skoodge and I are heading to the Membranes! You two make sure no humans come into this base. Understood?"

But they instead didn't pay attention. They instead just continued they were doing.

The shorter irken squinted, but decided to not to shout at them.

"I'll just take it as a yes."

He turns to the other irken.

"Let's go, Skoodge."

"Right!"

They both walked out the door, leaving the small robots home alone.

—-

"And that was how I created Minimoose."

"Ah," Skoodge said as they were walking through sidewalk, "I was wondering where that floating moose came from. But even when you were planning on replacing Gir, you currently look as though you show attention to them both."

"I realized that Minimoose wasn't too helpful either. So I decided to let them both help me with my missions. They're the best ones I have," Zim tried to put it simply.

Skoodge chuckled,

"I can see that. Though I can't imagine having to take care of two servants."

"Masters don't take care of their servants," he objected, "they take care of ME. That's the point of their existence."

"Well I don't know," the pudgy irken shrugged, "you tend to be like a...a..." he started to look as if he was wondering to say it.

"Like what?" He looked at him in suspicions.

"You know, you tend to act...'parental' towards them."

"What?! When have I ever acted parental towards my servants?! You don't even know what a parent is like!"

Skoodge opened his mouth to explain but closed it. He glanced down uncomfortably. He looked up and continued.

"I had my encounters with somebody being a parent towards their young one during my invasion."

"Oh what? You're telling me the slaughtering rat people can be parental?"

The slightly taller closed his eyes for a moment and made a soft sigh. He looked back at him.

"It doesn't really matter where I learned it from. But if I can give my examples on how you often treat your servants, you seem to look as if you discipline them whenever they do something wrong. Or whenever they seemed disappointed at something."

"You must be overthinking it," he glared at Skoodge, "you've only stayed with me for what? Two days?"

Skoodge counted with his three fingers.

"Yep! Two days."

"Exactly! Now stop thinking that I can be a 'dad' towards them! I never been and it will never happen! Not even with my smeet!"

"But-"

"We're here," he cut him off when he sees the Membrane's house.

"Huh," he looked at the house, "it seems...homey."

"Now pay attention," Zim continued as they started entering the yard, "whatever you do, don't panic if Dib tries to point out towards his dad. And don't worry about his sister finding out. She really doesn't care. You just follow my lead and don't say too much. This visit should help prepare yourself on what you're going to get into when your real mission starts on Monday."

Skoodge felt anxious about it, but nodded. Zim went up to the door and although he was still uncomfortable with pushing the doorbell, he didn't hesitate longer than he should have due to have already visited his enemy's house several times. Several seconds later, the door opened and a tall human with a science coat, goggle, and lightning shaped black hair stood before him.

"Ah!" He said in pleasure, "why if it isn't Dib's foreign friend!"

He then looked at Skoodge.

"And I see you brought yourself a new friend. Is he from the country of green-skinned people too?"

Skoodge just stayed quiet, not certain if it's safe to answer.

"His name is Skoodge," Zim answered, "now where is Dib?"

"Oh yes, Dib is currently up in his bedroom. He keeps on stating that he is trying to prove that a horse he found nearby is actually a unicorn."

There was a beat.

"I knew it," Zim angrily whispered to himself.

Zim looked back up at the scientist, about to ask if he can go see Dib, when he heard a familiar voice shout out,

"DAD!"

There were quick thudding sounds that grew louder until Dib came out from another room and stopped besides his father,

"What are you doing?!"

"My son," he looked at him, "you never told me your friend would come over with a new kid."

"New kid?"

Dib's eyes traced at the one next to his enemy. It didn't take a second to shot a look back at his father.

"Dad! That other kid is an alien too!"

Skoodge's pupil shrunk in a mixture of shock and surprise. This kid really is professional. As much as he wanted to run away, he remembered what Zim told him earlier. He nervously looks back at the adult.

"Now now son," his eyebrows furrowed and crossed his arms, "we talked about this. You should really keep your eyes away from that tv show."

"But-"

There were rumbling sounds, underneath the ground, followed be distant booming and clashing sounds. The father took notice.

"Looks like Clembrane is having trouble at the lab again. I'll leave you two to your chit chat while I go help him. Oh!"

He looks back at Zim.

"And if you want to get rid of that stomach fat, I recommend your friend gives you my 'skele-trient' drink. It should bring you back to your normal weight within an hour!"

Zim growled, but decided not to argue this time, letting the professor walk away. Skoodge notices there was a girl sitting by the couch and playing a video game when she took notice of their presence. Could that be the boy's sister? Whoever she was, he feel a haunting sense that told him he shouldn't get too close to her.

"Zim!" Skoodge flinched and looked back at the kid glaring at his childhood friend, "What are you doing here?!"

"What am I doing here?" He glared at him,"I should be asking YOU why you haven't tried to stop me!"

"Would you two keep it down?" The girl narrowed, "Yeeesh, you two are always acting like quarreling toddlers. Can't you both argue about it in the kitchen?"

They both looked at her.

"Fine," Dib sighed in frustration and gestured, "come over and bring your new 'friend' along. Don't even bother on putting any secret device in here."

Zim looked at Skoodge and nodded that it was ok as the other irken nervously followed along. The girl also got out of the couch and followed them to the kitchen.

Dib noticed and replied,

"Gaz, What are you doing? I thought you wanted us in the kitchen so you can quietly play your game."

"I was going to," she answered. "But I'm curious on what this is all about."

Dib didn't say anything else but let her be. Everybody sat around the kitchen and Dib was the first to speak.

"So Who is this new alien that's sitting next to you?"

The pudgy alien was quiet until Zim gestured to him that he's allowed to answer.

"U-uh..." he looked directly at the kid, "I am Invader Skoodge. I will be assisting Zim for now on."

"That's right," Zim added, "he was able to conquer another planet, so he will be suitable in assisting me."

"What? Can't conquer the world by yourself?"

"Hey, I didn't ask him to come over! He wanted to join himself."

"Righhht. And what brings you both here?"

"I want you to try to stop me again!"

"But wouldn't I just delay your conquer?" He asked confused.

"Conquering the world would be boring. I WANT IT TO BE A CHALLENGE! And if you're still complaining with the fact that I treat my unborn servant differently, then get over it! We irkens like to stick to our culture and that is that!"

"Look," the human boy said, "I know what you said was sick and all. But if I even gotten over it, I still won't compete with you for the time being."

"WHY?"

"Well I'm not going to fight someone who is pregnant!"

Gaz stopped playing and looked at Zim with one eye open.

"Wait, you're pregnant?"

"So what if I'm 'pregnant'?" He crossed his arms in annoyance, "just because I am doesn't mean I'm helpless. I can still conquer Urth even with this smeet growing inside me!"

"Zim," Skoodge frowned, "I think he could be right."

"Are you taking his side?" Zim squinted at the other irken.

"N-no Zim, I'm not. I'm just saying that if you get injured during the mission, then the smeet will most likely get injured as well. Or..."

"And what will happen if I don't do anything else, huh?" He rest his hand on his bulge while looking angrily at Skoodge, "what will the Tallest think if they arrive and realize that I wasn't able to successfully invade this planet? They will surely make the control brains re-encode me as nothing!"

Skoodge frowned even more.

"Didn't you say the smeet was part of pleasing the tallest? If anything happens to it, what will you tell them?"

Ofcourse, this was not his main excuse to keep the smeet safe. He doesn't know what it was, but he was somehow desperate to keep the unborn child away from harm for reasons unknown. Thankfully, Zim was able to pause and think about it. He looked down at his bump in silence, with the two siblings exchanging awkward glances on whether or not they should say anything.

Zim closed his eyes and muttered curses in irken language.

"Ok, fine!" He glared back at Dib, "see how you like it! If waiting for the smeet to come out of me will satisfy you, then so be it! But know that this isn't the last you seen of me! I will make sure this child will be my greatest creation yet and you will quiver before it!"

Dib looked a bit relieved but responded,

"Fine! I'll accept your challenge! But you better treat it fairly, you hear me?"

"Ofcourse I'll treat it fairly, big head!"

He slipped out of the chair,

"There, we're finally done here."

He looked back at Skoodge,

"Let's go home."

"A-already?" Skoodge looked in surprise, "but we just got here."

"Our goal was to convince Dib to compete with me again and we got it covered. Besides, this house reek with human Dib odors."

Zim went ahead and went to the door, closing it behind him. They all awkwardly stared at the front door. Skoodge turned to the kids.

"Uh, right. I guess I'll get going too. Nice to meet you guys!"

"Aren't we suppose to be enemies?" Dib's eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Oh-uh-um, right!" He smiled nervously, "then...not happy to meet you guys!"

He hopped out of the seat and rushed over to leave so he can catch up with Zim. They both silently stared out again.

"So his name was Skoodge..."

Dib pulled out his journal and started writing, whispering to himself,

"Not...too...threatening."

"Zim's pregnant," Gaz took a moment to process it. Then shrugged before looking back at her game.

"I've seen more interesting things."

—

"Zim! Zim! Wait up!"

Skoodge caught up to the walking disguised irken.

"Jeez, you must really hate him, don't you?"

"With all my guts."

"Huh, figures."

Skoodge looked back at the house for a moment while they were walking away from it.

"I think I did a good job in there," he smiled, "I didn't panic or show off my identity just as you advised."

He looks back at him, his human pupils sparkling in excitement.

"Do you think I'm ready to take on the human world by myself? I really think I have what it takes to act like a normal human!"

But Zim didn't say anything as if he didn't hear him. It then took the other irken a short while to notice that instead of looking satisfied after the visit, he looks to be more stressed than ever. His smile fades into concern.

"Zim?" He caught up next to him and placed his hand on his shoulder, "Zim what's wrong? Did I something wrong back there?"

"WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NOW?!" Skoodge flinched and slipped his hand away from him.

Zim grabbed his head and paced left and right on the sidewalk, the same motion he did back at the base but more fast paced.

"How will I tell this to the tallest?! I can't do my missions like this! And they can be coming any day! How will I tell them that my world conquer will delay?!"

Skoodge looked in complete surprise to see his friend like this. After all, Zim has looked up to Red and Purple since the moment he met them at school, always trying to be a true invader like them. And the fact that they eventually became the recent tallest makes him idolize them even more.

So the fact that he has to tell them that he must delay his mission must really terrify him. Not only because there's a chance they can eliminate him, but the fact that he will be letting the people he looked up to his entire life down. Skoodge didn't really like Red and Purple. If anything, he fears them, yet he always tried to act loyal towards them in hope they can reward him with something. Something he hoped would make his "idol" proud of him.

"W-well," he tried to find a way to cheer him up, "just...tell them the truth."

"Tell them the truth and make them think that I'm useless?! Please, as if I've ever! I'm the strongest invader in the empire! But if they start to think that they can't see it, how will I convince them that they're wrong?!"

"I don't think you're weak," Skoodge admitted. "Even when you're having a smeet, I know you're working so hard to make this progress a success. The tallest will understand."

Zim looked at him quietly. He took a quick breathe in and out and patted his cheek repeatedly.

"You're right you're right you're right. I just...need to trust my squeedlyspooch!"

Skoodge smiles fondly at seeing him start to pull himself together again. As long as he remains the confident irken he's always known, then that's all that really matters.

"But first, I need to plan out how I'll tell it to them. I just can't tell it to them right away!"

Skoodge nodded,

"Understandable."

"Now," he started to think about it as they kept walking, "what I was thinking that maybe I can tell them how far along I am and how it is becoming a complete success. Then I can tell th-"

His body suddenly stiffened in surprise, causing him to go into a complete halt. Skoodge took notice and walked besides him again.

"Are you ok? What's wrong now?"

Zim sighed,

"It's nothing. My squeedlyspooch is just acting weird again."

"Weird?"

Zim looked down and rest his hand on his swollen abdomen.

"I keep on getting some sort of twitchy feelings lately. And sometimes they would get so strong that it would feel as though some moths are fluttering inside there."

"Moths?"

"They're flying bugs with these huge wings. They're like butterflies but more annoying."

Skoodge eyebrow raised,

"You sure you don't have moths inside you?"

Zim made a soft laughter,

"Oh that's funny if that were true. No, I think it's just a new symptom from the incubation. Whatever it is, I'm gonna have to check it out when we get back. As were doing so, I'll keep planning on how I'm going to tell the tallest of my delay."

Skoodge nodded as they kept going. But Skoodge would keep on glancing at the smeet bump, not knowing if he should feel any concerns about whatever is going on in there. It's just far too early for the smeet to start arriving.

—

"Computer! Do an ultrasound on me to see what's going on inside."

**"Which one?" **

"Where my smeet bump is obviously!" He crossed his arms impatiently while sitting on a chair in the observatory. Skoodge was seen standing besides him, while Gir can be seen playing with his pig plush toy.

**"Oh yes, right. Vwoooosh!" **

A tube like thing descended and attached itself on the smeet bump.

"Good. Now show me the egg."

The monitor lit up from a static to an actual image of an egg, which can be seen making small ripples due to something moving within.

"Zoom through the egg to get a view of the developing smeet."

**"Zooming through!"**

The screen slightly zoomed in and the soft shell of the egg vanished to show what was inside there.

Taking up a lot of room and curled up was once a deformed looking peanut that is now taking a form of an actual irken. It's eyes were tightly shut due to the eyes still forming, its tiny arms and legs crouching against its tiny curled body. After several twitches, the smeet jumped into activity by wiggling about energetically and often rolling about in the egg. The same exact moment it happened, Zim felt the flutterings within his small bulge again. He looked down.

"Just as I guessed. These flutters within is actually the smeet. It is now strong enough for me to feel it moving in there."

Skoodge's antennae perks up in surprise.

"Wait, so you can actually feel it moving?! Holy shhhhhhoot! Does it mean it's actually coming?!"

"I don't think so. It's only about a month along. Computer, analyze on how far along the smeet is."

**"Analyzing..."**

There were short beeping sounds.

**"Completion of smeet's development is 56%. Estimated time is one month, one week, one day, and thirty-six hours." **

The smeet finally relaxes in exhaustion once the computer finishes revealing these details.

"Fifty-six percent...good. I still have enough time."

"Look Zim!" Skoodge pointed at the screen, "I can see it's antennae! Do you think we can figure out what gender it is?"

Zim took notice of the antennae on the unborn child's head that have already started to develop.

"It appears to still be progressing, but it still hasn't taken its full form yet to tell its gender. Computer, zoom in a bit on the smeet's antennae."

**"Zooming in." **

It zoomed to get a better view the antennae. It was still short and a bit straight, but the tip was now starting to bend back in order to take its gender form.

"Hm. It looks like it's going to be a boy."

"A boy? Are you sure?"

"Yep!" Zim smiles on happiness, "this is perfect! I always wanted my smeet to be a boy! I can imagine ourselves just sitting in the couch and eating nachos in a sloppy manner."

"Don't you do the same with Gir?" The other irken asked in confusion.

"Yes, But were not blood-related."

He then realizes what he said.

"BUT I DON'T SEE HIM AS A SON OR ANYTHING!"

"Uh...right. And you sure it's going to be a boy?"

"Are you questioning my confirmation?" He narrowed.

"W-well no, but the antennae is still developing. There's no telling if the bent position will turn into a curly position."

"Fine, Mr. SmartyPants. If you do not trust my confirmation, then I'll let the computer prove it! Computer! Explain what the chance will be of the smeet turning out to be a boy!"

**"Analyzing..."**

Beeping sounds were heard again.

**"20%."**

"See? What did I tell y-wait. Twenty percent? Then what is the percentage of it being a female?"

**"80%."**

"WHAT?!" He exclaimed and narrowed, "impossible! It has a bent antennae! How can it be a girl?!"

**"By analyzation of the progress, the growth of the antennae is rapid. And female irkens are known to have a long antennae, but tends to be hard being recognizable due to their curled form. Last thing..."**

The arrow points to where the smeet's antennae is starting to bend back.

**"The bent antennae is not sharp and instead more curved. Although some cases have shown that the curled atennae can have sharp edges, they are more likely to be curved. The percentage of it being a female is still rapidly rising by calculation." **

Skoodge's eyes sparkles by this news.

"You're going to have a girl..."

"IM GOING TO HAVE A GIRL?! DOOKIE!" He slammed his fist on the station table angrily, "I WANTED IT TO BE A BOY!"

"What's wrong with her being a girl?" Skoodge looked at him frowning, "you know that in our irken society, males and females are treated just about the same. She can still be credited with ranks and everything. Just look at how Tallest Miyuki was able to become a tallest."

"But if there's ONE thing I know about female irkens is that THEY are TERRIFYING. I had one female almost suck out my planet and let me tell you that she was NOT easy to defeat!"

"Zim, not all girls can act so brutal. There are some that can act just like us-"

"And another thing is that they can be too neat. One time I spilled my dip snack on this female and she complained about it as if she was demoted."

The invader stared at the pregnant irken.

"You're only saying that because you're guessing she'll look less like you. Right?"

Zim fell silent. He glanced away, hating to admit it.

"...yes."

Skoodge let out a long sigh. He went over to him and placed hand on his shoulder.

"Zim, you can't always expect someone to become exactly like you. Sure she has the choice of following your footstep, but don't expect her to fully do so."

"It's not like I can make her choose either way," he softly narrowed down to the bump. "All irkens are suppose to do is let the tallest decide what they should do. It's part of our duty and we should follow it."

Skoodge blinked and glanced at his bump as well.

"I mean," he shrugged, "she is your 'servant'. Why would they-"

"Wait. You're right."

He let out a huge smile.

"She IS my servant. My tallest can't choose what she must do in life!"

"See?" Skoodge smiled, "she has the freedom to-"

"I SHOULD CHOOSE WHAT SHE SHOULD DO IN LIFE!"

Skoodge's smile fade.

"Uh...actually, that's not what I meant-"

"What is that?" They both flinched when a small robot peeked out from Zim's chair.

"Gir," Zim softly narrowed, "shouldn't you be-?"

"What is it?"

"It's the sm-"

"What is it?"

"This is a ultrasound showing the sm-"

"What is it?"

Zim waited for Gir to remain quiet.

"This is the monitor showing the 'baby' inside me."

"BABY?!" He pointed at the screen. The moment he screamed, the smeet made a huge leap in surprise and started to strongly squirm about.

Zim's body stiffened and hugged his bulge by the strong flutters.

"Gir, stop that! You're scaring her."

"Oh," Gir looked at his bump and frowned as he patted it, "I'm sorry, baby-WOAH DID IT JUST MOVE?!"

"Nngh, Yes it moving now. That's why you should keep quiet so you don't scare her."

"ITS A GIRL?"

"Yes, now please-"

"LET ME FEEL HER!" He exclaimed in excitement.

"No Gir," he narrowed, "That's just weir-"

"LET ME FEEL HER!"

"I won't EVER let you touch my sto-!"

Gir let out a mixture of crying and screeches that echoed across the observatory, which made Skoodge's antennae try to get use to the powerful vibration.

The shorter irken tensed and covered his eyes in stress until he finally shouted out,

"ALRIGHT FINE YOU CAN FEEL HER!"

He stopped crying and smiled,

"Really?!"

"Yes, really. But only for a second!"

Gir gasped in excitement and rushed over to place hands on the bulge. He waited and frowned.

"Awww, I can't feel her."

"That's because you're placing your hands on the wrong area, doofus. Here."

Zim took the SIR unit's hand and placed it on the midsection. Zim kept holding the his hand down so he doesn't move to a different direction.

"Now you feel her?"

Gir waited and almost immediately, he felt tiny flutters go past his master's abdomen. He took a moment to process what he just felt. Then he made long full gasp, his blue robotic eyes glowing more in complete happiness.

"She moved! SHE MOVED! BABY ACTUALLY MOVED!"

"Now you're satisfied?"

"Yes!" He squealed and immediately hugged the bump.

"I LOVE YOU BABY!"

"Yeah yeah," Zim patted his back, "baby loves you too."

As Gir kept hugging it and the unborn smeet started to calm again, Zim took notice of his childhood friend still present.

He had a fond smile on his face, happily watching the scene.

"Don't get any ideas," Zim squinted, "I'm just doing this so he would stop screaming."

He responded with a chuckle,

"I believe you."

The former invader just rolled his eyes and continue to pat the robot's back. Skoodge would have wanted to feel the smeet too. But given Zim already has someone giving the unborn child attention, he decided not to bother.


	7. Chapter 7: The Tactic

Zim watched the monitor on the computer screen as Skoodge sat by a chair unconscious, a wire attached on his PAK. The wire had lights that were traveling inside the device. Beeping and whirring sounds were heard until a long beep was heard and the lightings on the wire wore off.

**"UPLOAD OF RECENT HUMAN KNOWLEDGE COMPLETE!"**

Zim nodded in hidden satisfaction and turned to see his childhood friend wake up, the wire detaching his PAK moments after. He rubbed his head with a soft groan.

"Skoodge."

The pudgy irken forced his gazed onto Zim as he walked over to him.

"Did you get all of it?"

"I-I think so."

"How much water do humans have on their bodies?"

"Sixty percent."

"When do humans reach adulthood?"

"Eighteen through twenty-one Urth years."

"What are the creatures with long necks and brown spots called?"

"It's...uh...I don't think it gave me that info."

"That's strange, how come it hasn't...?"

Zim paused.

"Oh wait. I haven't looked further into them yet. Very well then, you should be well prepared to go to Skool today."

"Great...nnngh," Skoodge held his head again. Zim notices and showed slight concern.

"Hey, you good?"

"Mm...yeah," he looked back up at him, "I think there is just something a little off with your computer. It might have a bit of a virus that is causing me to have a headache."

He blinked and thought about it. He remember what he saw back when he was in a trial when the control brains were reading his memory data.

"Most of the recent human knowledge came from the data copies of my findings on Urth. I transfer them into the computer every once in a while. It tends to be my PAK is so amazingly unique that sharing my data with anyone can give them a short-term headache."

Skoodge noticed that Zim mentioned his PAK being "unique" rather than "broken" or "defective". Though he can sort of understand he doesn't want admit that he is a defective. Especially when defectives tend to get their PAK erased once they're are identified as one. In fact, many irkens have always rumored Skoodge to be a defective as well, to which he always shake that thought off. But his whole entire life he's known his friend, it was completely clear by every single irken he's encountered that his PAK is extremely different from everyone. It makes Skoodge wonder if even the control brains know about this. But if they did, they would have tried to eliminate him right away. Now he wishes he didn't mention the computer having a "virus".

"It's fine Zim," he tries to give him a comforting smile, "my PAK will get use to it. It just will take a short while for the headache to cool off. I'll be ok."

"Pssh," the shorter irken's eye rolled while crossing his arms, "I know that already. After all, you always survive through things. We still have enough time before we leave, so just stay on that chair until the side effect goes away."

"Yes sir," he softly saluted before rubbing his head in comfort again. As bothersome as the headache was, it wasn't so horrible. He is aware that Zim didn't mean to let his PAK make him feel sick like that.

Even if he was aware of the temporary side effect, he would have still gone with it, knowing how much it would be much better than having his friend fail his mission. Zim spent few minutes analyzing the unborn smeet's health while he was waiting when Skoodge started to feel the headaches cool down. He was able to focus on his friend again asking,

"How is she doing?"

"How is who doing?" Zim looked at him.

"The smeet. Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Zim tried to make it sound as if it was obvious. "Her growth is going along fast and smoothly."

He typed on something and a monitor turned on, showing a heart rate and brainwave activity. A fast beating sound was heard from the observatory's speaker.

"Heart is pulsing well too."

"That's her heartbeat?"

"Mhm."

Skoodge let himself keep listening to the soft thumping sounds.

"It sounds so pretty..."

"Eugh," the shorter irken showed a face of disgust, "when have you gotten so obsessed with heartbeats?"

"I-I mean it's not that! It's just...amazing that you're really creating a new life in there. It's unlike anything I have ever witnessed before."

"Duh, you idiot. No irkens have even thought about this project before. And that's because they're too dumb and lazy to do so. I on the other hand am a very skillful and hardworking soldier who invent things everyday. No one can ever take my place as the greatest irken to ever live and those who don't believe that I am are just blind and stupid!"

For someone who has known Zim since they were smeets, he was extremely use to him bragging to himself every single hour. So as usual, he made a soft smile and nodded in agreement. Zim looked back to the computer and was doing his final analyzation when his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hm. That's strange."

Skoodge's smile fades.

"What's strange?"

"The analyzation monitor shows that the brain activity is starting to already reach the limited peak of a usual irken's brain activity."

Skoodge blinked,

"What do you think that means?"

"To be honest, I don't really know myself. Its looking to be beyond normal. Beyond...functional to say the least."

The pudgy one started to show concern,

"Will she be ok?"

"Her health is still perfectly fine, thank goodness. My only worry is how the brain will be able to accept her PAK. If the brain gets too developed..."

Can it even be possible?

Skoodge anxiously waited for his answer when beeping sounds were heard.

**"30 MINUTES TILL SKOOL STARTS." **

"Eek, That's right!"

Zim turns off the monitor and turns directly to Skoodge.

"Skoodge, are you able to walk now?"

"Yep!" He let the thought of the smeet's process slip away and he hops out of the chair, "feeling good as new already!"

"Good! Then hurry up and get in your design. This will be your very first official Urth mission yet."

—-

"Hurry! The bell will ring soon."

Skoodge always had to keep catching up to Zim with how much he kept shyly looking about his surrounding the moment they entered the Skool. The hallway was packed with kids. So many human kids. They were all staring at him as they walked by. He looked back at Zim, which he noticed would often slow in order to catch his breath before picking up the pace. Skoodge could guess why he was walking like that, but tried not to ask when they were in public. He just hopes it doesn't strain his body too much.

"Zim," he said nervously, "the kids. They're all staring at me."

"They'll get use to you. I got uncomfortable too on my first day, but you'll get use to it. And the kids won't keep staring at you all the time, just as long as you act normal."

The pudgy irken softly nod. Zim leads him to a classroom where kids were starting take their seats. Dib was obviously there early just to analyze closely on the disguised irkens.

"Well look who it is," Dib muttered, "another alien to target in my class."

Skoodge felt his body quiver a bit and he gulped.

"Just stay calm," Zim told him, "he can't prove who we are if we keep low."

He looks about.

"There," he points at a table, "Ms. Bitters must have brought a new seat next to mine. So we can keep contact there."

He looks back at him.

"But remember: only talk to me if it's urgent. Otherwise the teacher will relocate you. And the worst case would be being placed next to Dib."

Skoodge starts to sweat and quiver more. As much as Zim wants to tell him to start looking like a coward, he has to recall the fact that he acted the same way.

"Hey," he grabbed his cheeks, "look at me."

His body stopped shaking and his eyes locked on to his friend's human pupils. He looked serious but reassuring.

"You're going to be okay. Just remember what we learned in training and you should be good."

Skoodge looked at him and took a deep breath. He gave an attempted determined smile,

"I'll do my best, sir."

"Good. Let's take our seats."

They went over to their seats and sat down, with the former Invader letting out a sigh of relief once he did so. The unborn smeet was shifting calmly instead of being energetic like she usually does. As long as she stays like that for the entire school time, he should be good. Skoodge has been glancing about the classroom the whole time until an elderly female human crept into the room like a snake.

He watched in a blank gaze as she halted to the center of the chalkboard.

"Good morning, class. Today you should all have your glue figures all ready to go. As you're doing so, we have another new peasant joining us."

She turns to the new student.

"Will you please stand in front of the classroom?"

Skoodge made a pause and glanced at Zim, who made a head gesture to do as she said. He looks back at her and does as she says. When he stood there facing the classroom, Ms. Bitters speaks out again,

"Class, this kid standing next to me is...Skoodge. Am I saying it right?"

He softly nods.

"Very well. Skoodge, you may go ahead and introduce yourself to the class. Cause after this, I don't want to hear another sound from you!"

Zim blinked in realization that she said the same exact thing to him when he joined the class. Does she say this to every new students? But even though the teacher told him to introduce himself, he just stood there. Quiet. Not saying a single word.

The class awkwardly waited for the new kid to say something.

"Whats the matter?" Dib asked, "too scared on accidentally reveal yourself that you're an alien?"

Zim sharply glared at his arch enemy when he said this. Does he even know a thing about what they had a meeting about the last time they encountered each other? Or is it just because Zim can't currently conquer the world right now that he has all the rights to push his new member around?

"I...I don't know know what you're talking about," Skoodge murmured nervously.

"That-"

"That the fact he looks so ugly?"

Everybody all turned to Zim when he suddenly said this.

"...hey now thinking about it," one kid said, "the kid does look so ugly."

Skoodge blankly stared out.

"Th..."

He lets out a positive smile,

"That's right! I am both ugly and short! That's what makes me so special!"

The kids remained silent again. The teacher waited and then bent close to him,

"Is that all you wanted to say?"

"Yep! That is all you should know about me!"

She made a short gaze at him.

"Good. Now take your seat!"

Skoodge went ahead and softly pranced back into his seat next to Zim. He looked at him and smiled while whispering,

"Thanks, Zim!"

"I only did that cause you're still a beginner," Zim made a quick excuse and turned to him, "Dib is still someone you need to get use to."

"Now Skoodge," Ms. Bitters told him, "because you are a new student, you have until tomorrow to bring in your glue figure project. As for the rest of you, bring it out now! I will have no excuses for incompletion."

Each kids started to bring theirs out, with Dib's figure being Mysterious Mystery. He looked at Zim.

"So what did you make for the project? UFO? A shattered earth? Giant robot? You-?"

Zim finally took one out, with Dib and Skoodge taken back in surprise on what his figure actually was.

"Is that...a teddy bear?" Dib said in huge confusion.

"Yeah," Zim turned back to him narrowing, "So what?"

"Wouldn't you have done something more...evil looking?"

He shrugged,

"I just felt like making it."

"You...felt like making a teddy bear."

"That's right."

"Why?"

"Why so? There's nothing wrong with that."

"Yes but it's so...opposite you."

"Don't be ridiculous!" He snarled and turned to Skoodge.

"Skoodge! Tell that big headed loser that my teddy bear is amazing and not weird!"

The pudgy one gazed at the glue figure.

"I mean...I agree that it's something I thought you would never make but..."

He smiled fondly,

"I think it's really cute. Are you planning on keeping it?"

"Uh, no? Why would I?"

"Then who will you give it to?"

He just shrugged and made a hum of "I don't know".

Just as they were talking, Ms. Bitters "slithered" over to them and looked down at Zim's work. She took it from him and analyzed it.

"Hm...a teddy bear, huh? So...out of your character."

She made a pause. She looks back down at him and places it back on his table without any change of expression.

"Excellent work, Zim."

"Why thank you Ms. Bitters," Zim took it as a flattering gesture, "I am glad someone likes my glorious human crafting skills."

She just didn't say anything else and went on to look at the other student's works. Zim watches her go and looks awkwardly at the figure toy.

"Hm. Now what to do with this thing."

Skoodge took a look at it.

"Maybe give it to the smeet?"

"Sounds like a ridiculous idea. But not like I can give it to anyone else."

He looked down at the bump.

"Here, smeet. You want it?"

He let the hard uncomfortable feeling figure rest against it. The smeet twitched and he grunt in surprise when the smeet made a huge leap in response that kicked off the bear, tumbling it to ground right below the table.

"Hey, you ok?" Skoodge held his friend's shoulder in concern.

"Nngh...I don't think she liked that bear."

"I can see that...that bear was probably not too cozy for her."

Ms. Bitter turn to see Zim looking uncomfortable.

"Do you need to throw up again?"

"Nope!" He gave a shaky thumb up, "I just punched my own stomach by accident was all."

The teacher stared for a short while, raising one eyebrow.

"...I'm not even gonna ask how that was possible."

She continued doing her job, muttering to herself "kids".

—

The school bell rang that recess has begun as kids dashed out to the school yard. Dib came out first and Zim caught up to him.

"Dib. Can we talk for just a moment?"

Dib groaned,

"Aw come on, not this again."

"It'll be fast. And it's not like you have much choice."

"Ugh, Fine."

Zim and Dib went to talk somewhere private while Skoodge came out and halted, looking about to see where his childhood friend went. When the enemies went a short corner of the yard, Dib crossed arms.

"Ok. What do you want?"

"Don't you remember what we discussed back at your house?"

"Yeah, and?"

"Stay away from Skoodge. I already told you that I'm taking a break."

"So?" The glasses kid's eyebrow raised, "we never agreed that I shouldn't ignore your friend either. I just agreed not to fight you until the smeet is born."

"Yes, but Skoodge is still brand new. He does not have enough experience yet to take on the mission by himself and it looks like I have to babysit him for the time being. And the next thing I need is to risk the smeet's health as well."

"Oh come on, how long until it's even born?! What do you expect me to do while I'm waiting?!"

"I don't know, keep on chasing that unicorn?"

"Chasing down an alien was much more interesting than chasing down a unicorn! Shouldn't you be upset about this too?!"

"Who do you think you take me for? Of course I miss trying to kill you, but I know it's going to be temporary! Just like this annoying round stomach!" He gestures to it.

"Then if we're not going to fight, then can I atleast analyze the bump?!"

Zim was quiet with unamusement.

"...Really? You're that desperate to ease your impatience?"

"What do you expect?! It's been a month and a half since we tried to kill each other!"

"Heads up, fat boy!" A random kid's voice was heard and a ball was launched to aim at Zim's stomach. A familiar instinct kicked in and he caught the ball without looking, strongly throwing it back to the kid who threw it. There were crashing sounds.

"Ah! My spleen..."

Dib was quite impressed with what he just saw. But it was caught off with Zim continuing,

"My unborn smeet is not a subject. I mean...I'm technically analyzing her myself, but I can assure you she's not a thing. She will be the best-"

"-servant you ever created."

Zim blinked in a bit of surprise,

"How did you knew I was going to say that?"

"You've been saying it millions of times."

"Ah...Yes," he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly,

"But anyhow, don't plan on going near Skoodge! And DON'T even think about going after my smeet!"

Skoodge overheard someone and turns to find Zim suddenly looking strongly defensive.

"No filthy humans touches her! NO ONE!" He then hugs his bulge, "if you place one hand on her, I'll bite your arm off and feed it to the digestor! GOT IT?"

A whistle was sounded by a coach.

"Come on now, move it and gather around for dodgeball! I don't have all day here!"

"Ooo!" Zim smiles, "recess time! I hope I get to throw the balls on people's face this time!"

Zim started to join the group, standing next to Skoodge. He shortly noticed his friend was blankly staring at him.

"What?"

"Are you sure you're ok? I saw you arguing with Dib back there and you started shouting things that I think would have blown your cover."

"Wait, I did?"

"Yeah, just a second ago."

"Huh..." he thought about it, "so I did. Well mistakes happens."

"Zim," the coach calls out, "you'll lead your own team."

"Yes," he shouts out with a playful menacing smile, "finally!"

He went up to the left side of the coach.

"Dib," The coach points to the glasses far off, "stop hiding and be useful by being the other team's captain."

"Oh this should be interesting," Dib said in amusement and went to the right side of the coach.

"Now each of you pick who you want on your team."

"Very well," Zim smiles in pleasure and turned to the other green figure, "Skoodge, you're on my side."

"Right!" He smiled in happiness when chosen and rushes over to his side.

It later took several minutes for the enemies to choose each of their members. The last one that was left standing was an orange hair kid with green eyes.

"Ooo! Ooo! Ooo!" He waves his hand excitedly, "choose me, Zim! Choose me! We're best friends!"

Skoodge looked at the kid and turned to Zim,

"I didn't know you had a human friend."

"He isn't," he squinted in annoyance and turned to Dib.

"Dib head, you take him."

"What? No! I'm not gonna take him! Why don't you take him?"

"Because he's a nuisance, that's why."

The two continued to argue, the coach looking at them each.

"Very well. If none of you want to pick Keef, I'll do the rock."

He takes it out of his pocket and holds it up.

"If it's facing the flat side, he goes to Zim's team. If it faces the bulgy side, he goes to Dib's team."

"Hah!" Zim presses his fist against his hips, "as if Zim's luck ever looses."

"Well I'm sure it'll loose this time, cause you're having him!"

"Am not! Stop spreading lies!"

"Alright," the coach says, "here it goes."

He throws the rock high up with it spinning in mid-air. The whole class watches, eagerness in their eyes on what the result will be.

Keef trembles in excitement.

"Please be Zim! Please be Zim! Please be Z-"

A loud bonk was heard the moment the rock hits Keef's head. His eyes went derpy for a beat and he falls flat on the ground, completely out cold. The rock rolls and lays on its side instead. The class all stared quietly at the unconscious student and the rock.

"Huh," the coach rub the side of his head, "maybe I threw it a little too high. Hey kid, do you need to go to the clinic?"

There was a second pause and the unconscious boy's leg made a twitch.

"I'll take that as a yes. Go to the clinic room when you can."

He looks back at the boys.

"Guess neither of you will have him."

The two let out a huge sigh of relief, both responding with a,

"Thank goodness."

"Alright everybody, get to your positions. When I blow my whistle, start throwing."

The kids each got the dodge ball. Skoodge took it and looked down at it. He turns to Zim who was prepping himself up.

"Uh, Zim?" He walk up to him.

"What is it, I'm busy?"

"Uh, I don't know how we should do this."

"Don't be ridiculous," Zim turns to him narrowing, "you know how to play dodge ball. It's just like how we played it as smeets."

"That's not what I meant," he frowns, "what about the smeet?"

"The smeet?"

"The dodge ball can very likely hit your belly. It can badly hurt her."

"I'm a professional at this, Skoodge. Trust me," he looks at the team and squints, "I won't let anything happen to my creation."

Skoodge stares at Zim getting into a position, a position that the the irken recalls him doing before and reflecting back on a memory.

Skoodge blinks back to the present and dipped his head,

"I know you wont."

"Ready?!" The coach called out as Skoodge gets to his position as well, following the last few of the students.

The whistle blows.

Dodge balls flew about. Just as Skoodge expected, Zim started to dodge them quite well by his zig zag movements. Skoodge just kept on hoping away from each balls that targeted him and he threw it for one kid to go down and get called out.

Zim was able to develop a tactic and threw the ball, knocking one kid's face and then it bounced over to hit another kid's face, causing two of them to go out.

"Oh yeah!" Zim cheered, "who's the greatest player now, huh-woo!"

Zim doge it in time when one ball tried to hit him and had to dodge at the last moment once again when another one tried to hit him down.

"Hey watch it! Give me time to-woah!" He dodges another one.

Dib meanwhile was focusing on the other opponents when he noticed Zim dodging endlessly, his hands often times needing to shield his swollen abdomen every time it's a close call or whenever he needs to push it out of the way. Worried about the sake of the smeet, he turns to his team.

"Guys, I have a plan! Let's try hitting them on the head! That's should knock them out completely!"

"What?" The female student looked at him in suspicions , "why would we do that? That would be considered foul."

"Yeah," the other kid narrowed, "and besides, hitting kids on the stomach is fun."

"But-"

He couldn't think of anything else to suggest in time and one dodgeball tried to hit one of them.

"Darn! We can't get distracted!" The girl snarled, "let's just hit them already!"

The kids all targeted the remaining three players, which included Zim and Skoodge. Skoodge was ready to catch the targeted ball when he realized Zim was bent over trying to catch his breath.

The kid from the other team readied to hit him directly and Dib noticed this. Not having any other choice, he growled.

"Stupid hateful irritating terrestrial!"

He dashed over in front of his teammate the moment he threw it and took the hit instead, falling to the ground. All the kids looked down in surprise, with Zim turning to see what had happened, looking surprised as well.

The whistle blows. The coach goes over to the fallen glasses boy.

"What on Earth was that?! You just called yourself out!"

"S-Sorry, coach!" He gets up and looks at him, "I can explain!"

Dib made a very quick glance at both Zim and Skoodge, having a look as though he expected them to do something. Skoodge didn't know what it was, but he rushed over to his childhood friend's side while Dib continued to talk to the coach.

"Zim! Can you still stand?"

Zim kept catching his breath and tried to straighten himself up.

"Smeet active again...but should be fine."

The moment he added this, Skoodge told him,

"Zim, please listen to me. You have to call yourself out."

Zim eyes widened while his face still gazed at ground. He turned to Skoodge.

"I have to What?"

Skoodge was scared on making Zim upset, especially when he's always the one listening to his directions. But he pulled the fear together and looked at him again.

"Y-you have to call yourself out."

"I HAVE to call myself out?" He looked at him angrily "What suggestion is that?! Why would the great dodgeball player Zim have to call himself out? We're going to win this game and I will not loose just because I called myself out!"

"Zim," he frowned, "your body is not capable on handling this game. That ball would have hit the smeet if Dib didn't get himself hit! You both are in a rocky situation and you should know that!"

"Are you telling me I'm HELPLESS right now?!"

Skoodge sighed, but kept his patient at ease, but he softly narrowed at him now serious.

"I will never tell you you're helpless. I know your useful no matter what."

His face softened,

"But you have to reconsider who or what you're risking right now. The game or the child."

Zim quietly stared.

"Yeesh, since when have you started watching cinematic drama movies?"

"Oh, u-uh," his eyes traced away blushed in embarrassment, "I don't know what you mean by that. I just..."

Zim kept staring at him. He closed his eyes and groaned,

"Ugggggh, Fine. But you BETTER win this game for me! Otherwise you'll have no dinner tonight! And I know how much you love eating!"

"I won't let you down, pal!" He saluted him.

He opened his mouth to remind him on calling him "sir", but closed when realizing they're still in disguises.

"Good," he instead said and shakily got up.

"Here," his friend help him on his feet. He turns to the coach.

"Hey, sir?"

The coach sighed and turned his face away from Dib,

"What is it this time?"

"Zim is starting to feel sick. Can he be called off the team?"

The coach looked at Zim in suspicion,

"Are you sure?"

"Indeed," Zim admitted, "the terribly immense horrible pain in my digesting organ makes me want to throw up. So I must be excused or I shall spill the liquid that is part of me onto the field!"

Dib stared at him looking a little nauseous.

"You...didn't have to be that detailed."

"Very well," the coach said and turned back to Dib, "because you lost, you might as well take Zim to the bench or the clinic."

"Ew no, I don't want that stinky kid to escort me that long," Zim's eyes gazed away in disgust, "just take me to the bench."

Dib just rolls his eyes and went over to let Skoodge out of the way so he can keep Zim to his feet instead.

"Can't believe I'm being escorted around by my most hated enemy."

"Hey, I lost because I had to save the smeet's butt! A thank you would be nice."

"FOOL!" He outburst, "ZIM WOULD NEVER SAY THAT TO HIS ARCH ENEMY EVEN IF HE SAVED ONE OF MY GREATEST SERVANTS! Now hurry up! I need to calm the child down and your body stinks!"

"Whatever," the human kid started taking him to the bench, "why do I even bother?"

"Alright lets not waste time!" Skoodge turned when the coach called out again, "get the balls and get ready to continue!"

Skoodge looked on the ball that was on the ground. He picked it up and stood next to the other remaining player on the team. The other team also had two players left, so they were even. Skoodge became serious about the game this time, refusing to loose this one.

He has never actually beaten dodge ball before, but this is time it should be different. He will not let his best friend down. His small round eyes softly squinted and he gets to his position.

"Ready?!"

A pause passes and the whistle is blown again!

Skoodge started hopping about, avoiding each balls.

He apparently felt his foot loose balance during a landing and he fell on the ground. He was able to recover by quickly looking to see a kid throw a ball at him. He kicked it, sending it flying to the kid and knocking them out. Just as one kid from the other team got knocked out a kid from Zim's team stopped to look at something. He smiles,

"Ooo. What kind of butterfly is th-?"

He gets hit and knocked out. The kid later had no choice but to be called out, leaving only Skoodge and the girl.

The girl gave a deadly competitive glare at him, giving him the indication that she won't be so easy to beat. His body quivered for a moment but he tried to shake the fears away, leaving back his attempted determine look, bracing himself for whatever trick she has. The girl brought in the cart full of dodge bulls and started throwing each of them repeatedly like an endless shooting cannon. He managed to dodge each of them. But with how endless the dodges were becoming, he can feel his body wearing off. He knew he needed to think of something to fight back.

He then remembered a tactic he saw a long time ago. It was a bit blurry, but he already got the idea on how he should do it. He managed to catch one dodge ball that was thrown at him and used it to knock out the other dodgeballs that came after him. But he did not plan on hitting off the balls in order to hit the opponent, but rather he was letting them land in front of him, which was not easy to do since some of the would just roll off his sight.

Dib and Zim, who was trying to calm the smeet within, both watched what Skoodge was doing, with the human boy looking in confusion.

"Huh, that's weird. Why isn't he trying to throw the ball he caught towards the opponent?"

Zim was quiet, blankly gazing at the game.

"Hm...it does look familiar to..."

Once Skoodge was able to have enough balls lay in front of him, he races and started to hop on each of them, each giving him a jump boost.

While doing so, he let the dodgeball he was still carrying hit off the remaining thrown balls as a way to make the girl just focus on dodging the other balls as a distraction. Skoodge landed on the last ball and sent him flying up a bit, the ball popping as a result from the weight. The girl recovered to look back at her opponent, only to notice him not there. She looked about frantically when she heard a panicked screech.

The pudgy green skinned looking human was flailing his legs in a panic from how high up he is. But even so, he pulled himself together to be reminded of his goal and, still screaming, he threw the dodge ball downwards as hard as he could. The girl looked up, but never getting the chance to react in time. The ball bombarded unto her stomach, making her fall back and slightly skid on the ground unto she came to a complete halt unconscious.

Skoodge shortly after fell flat face on the ground, made a short skid also before coming to a halt. All the kids stared in utter silence, including Zim and Dib. The coach walked into the field and stopped by the green boy still laying on the ground.

"How did you learn it?"

Skoodge made a soft grunt, regaining his consciousness, and shakily looked up at him, glass shard lightly punctured the flesh of his forehead and cheeks due to his glasses shattering to pieces from the fall.

"Uh...whu...?"

"That tactic," the coach replied, "how did you learn it?"

He looked in a bit of surprise that he actually asked this. But processing on how to answer this, he said,

"I-I didn't make it, sir. I learned from someone I known for a long time."

Dib wondered on who he was referring to until he noticed Zim softly stiffening in surprise from the answer. He however didn't say anything as he blankly stared at the other disguised alien.

"I see," the coach nodded, "that person taught you well."

Skoodge blinked, making a pause. He smiled fondly. But it didn't last long as he grunt in surprise from the coach grabbing his arm and lifting him high up in the air for everybody to see him.

"Dib's last teammate is called out. Zim's team wins!"

The kids that were in Zim's team scream out in celebration, with the other team obviously looked disappointed. Zim took a moment to blink back to reality.

"I won...I WOOOON!"

He then sharply turns to poke hard on Dib's nose.

"IN YOUR FACE DIIIIIIIB! My race is stronger and smarter than you! You will NEVER stand a chance between the three of us!"

"...three of you?" Dib asked in confusion.

"I'm including the smeet despite not being born yet because she was responsible for making your softness loose the game," he explained in a fast paced manner.

"Oh come on, seriously? That smeet is not even aware on what's-"

"SKOODGE!" Zim waved happily while the coach placed him back down on the ground and he turned to his friend while trying to soothe the pain on his face.

Zim quickly walked to Skoodge and rubbed his head fiercely with his fist in happiness.

"Well done, soldier! You'll definitely be rewarded to a meal feast tonight!"

He looked at Zim and made a soft chuckle of happiness,

"I'm glad was able to win it for you."

"Oh," he looked down at the bump, "and good job smeet for...uh...making me tired enough to make Dib get called out I guess."

"Wouldn't counting her as a teammate make the team number uneven?"

"Eh, not like I ever care about the game's rules. But I still need to figure out how I will reward her."

Before Skoodge can let out his suggestions, they heard someone make a soft groan and turned to see the last fallen opponent get up and rubbed her stomach.

"Ugh...I think I swallowed my vomit at least three times..."

Skoodge stared and frowned in concern.

"Man, I hope I didn't seriously hurt her."

"Ah, forget about her," Zim said uninterested, "she's not that important to the story at all anyways. If anything, we should worry more about your face."

"My face?" The other irken touched his cheek for a moment and pulled it away to see green ooze on his hand.

"...oh."

"Here," Zim grabbed his wrist and escorted him, "let's wash it off somewhere where no one can see us."

Skoodge didn't argue and just let him lead.

—-

His first day of Skool was finally over. Zim and Skoodge were on their way back to the base with the taller irken's face being filled with several bandages. He turns to Zim when he realized he wasn't next to him. He quickly looked behind to see the shorter irken panting a lot as he was trying to catch up.

"Here," Skoodge stops, "let me carry you."

"I'll be fine," he huffed, "I can still walk."

He tried catch up again but had to catch his breath again. His PAK was making beeping sounds.

**"ENERGY PERCENTAGE LOW. CHARGING, EATING OR SLEEP REQUIRED," **a robotic male tone voice came out of it.

"Oh come on seriously?!" Zim said in frustration, "since when does that happen?!"

Skoodge walked over to him and aided him, making sure the exhaustion doesn't cause him to collapse.

"You need to rest, Zim. If you walk further it can harm both your health and the smeet's health."

Zim wanted to protest but didn't have willingness to do so. He closed his eyes and leaned against him,

"Eugh, Fine Whatever."

The invader felt relieved and he scooped him up, letting him be cradled on his arms. The former one felt light to carry despite the fetus begin to weigh down his small body. He waited for Zim to get comfortable and almost immediately, he knocks out, making the PAK stop beeping. Skoodge looked at him for a little longer and continued walking. After ten minutes of walking, they finally made it back to the base.

He went to the door and let one of his arm carry Zim when letting his other hand reach for the door knob, turning it. He came into the living room. Gir was sleeping on the couch and there's a possibility Minimoose drove out the go somewhere. It also seems the roboparents were not going to greet them this time, knowing they never work too well. Skoodge approached the couch.

"Gir?"

Gir softly awoke and rubbed one of his eyes.

"Mmmmmmmm?"

"I'm going to place your master on the couch. Is that ok with you?"

"No!" Gir narrowed.

"Why?"

"Cause I wanna share the couch with him!"

"Gir," Skoodge said in a bit of confusion, "I never asked you to get off the couch. You can sleep with him if you like. Or Atleast sleep on the other s-"

"YAYYY I GET TO SLEEP WITH MASTER!" He cheered.

"Yes, But you better keep it quiet," he spoke to him patiently like a grown up would to a child, "he's trying to sleep."

"Okie dokie!" The robot chirped out.

The SIR unit made space so Skoodge can let Zim lay on the couch, his tongue sticked out the moment his head rest on its side and started drooling the couch a bit. Skoodge wanted to chuckle at the sight of it, finding it quite adorable. He bent down and took Zim's wig off and had to pull open his eyelids in order to pull the human eye contacts out. Somehow Zim didn't bother to wake up from that, showing just how out cold he was from the low energy in his PAK.

Gir's then rested on his master's chest and let his arm rest around the smeet bump, yawning before drifting off to sleep. After taking a moment to watch the two of them sleep, he went and took off his disguise as well and relaxed on the other side of the couch, completely exhausted on his first day of Skool. The stress he had to go through from getting Zim to keep the smeet safe made him him even more exhausted.

He knows Zim can be really good when it comes to being brave and confident. But that much positivity in his friend's personality can sometimes make him do things that are really dangerous. And because he's always the one looking up to him, it can be stressing having to be the one to tell him what he should do instead, knowing that Zim hates being ordered around except for the tallest. Speaking of the tallest, has he even called them yet to say about the mission delay?

He doubts it since he's forcing himself to still go to Skool. He looked back to Zim, sleeping soundly. He glanced down uncomfortably. Guess he'll ask when he wakes up.


	8. Chapter 8: The Call

Skoodge was cooking with his apron on. He honestly never cooked in a long time, given that he was always use to Irk serving the irkens food or just let them get it by a vending machine since eating is not too much of a deal. They would just snack on stuff and that would basically be it. But given Zim did reward him to a meal AND the fact that Zim needs to eat in order to fully charge his PAK, he thought he may as well make a group dinner.

"Whatcha makiiiiing?"

Skoodge blinked and looked away from the pot on the stove and steaming, turning to see the small robot and the small moose looking up at him.

"Ah, Gir!" Skoodge smiles, "you're awake. And welcome home, Minimoose!"

"Nyah!"

"Huh," he blushed, "I didn't think you would ever say that to me. Heh...it's nice to see you again too."

"Whatcha making?" Gir asked again.

"I'm not sure. I was trying to think of the best human food we can we eat without getting sick. Then I argued to myself on whether i should make spaghetti or mac and cheese. So...Im kind of making a combined version of them."

"OOO!" Gir made a huge smile, "Like macghetti?!"

Skoodge awkwardly gazed at Zim's SIR unit. He doubts that a name of a human food actually exist and that Gir just randomly made it up. But even so, he went along with it and made a soft smile,

"Right. Like macghetti."

"I LOVE MACGHETTIS! THEY'RE MY FAVORITE!"

"So you've tried them before?"

"Nope," he answered still smiling.

"Then hopefully you'll see why it's your favorite," the pudgy alien told him and he went back to cooking. Gir remained standing there watching him cook.

"Is it done yet?"

"Nope."

"Is it done yet?"

"Not yet."

"Is it done yet?"

"Gir," Skoodge glanced at him with a soft tease, "if you be patient it will be-"

"NOW is it done?!"

"Not yet."

"Is it done yet?"

Skoodge had a moment on gazing at him with just a bit of irritation. Wow, this robot really is something. Sure, given that he was aware Gir can barely control his behavior, there were some moments where it made Skoodge feel himself being ticked off by it. He can't imagine how someone like Zim has managed stay patient to such an energetic and restless robot. And for someone who always get irritated and short-tempered about almost everything, it makes him wonder how he is able to do it.

Given he never bothered to throw him out, it really does show signs that Zim cares for Gir as much as Skoodge did for Chipz. Man, he really misses him so much. So much so that Gir sometimes reminds the irken of him. And even though Chipz was just a well functioning robot...

He shook the thought away, with it at least helping the irritation completely was away. He looked back at Gir and made a kind smile.

"How about while you're waiting, why don't you watch your favorite show? Is there an angry monkey show marathon happening tonight?"

"No, But Floopsie is having a marathon! Thanks for letting me know!"

"Ofcourse," the irken nodded as he watched the robot race back to the living room. Skoodge looked back to the pot and continued to stir it. Meanwhile, Gir raced to the couch and hopped on one side of it with Zim still sleeping on the other side snoring, more drools being on the couch and now on the floor. He dug his hand into the couch and pulled out the remote control that was filled with crust. He blew them away and use the remote to turn on the tv, with the Floopsy Boops Shmoopsy show coming on.

A music plays and one blob beaver like figure came to the light blue blob.

"HIYA SHMOOPSY!"

"HELLO FLOOPSY! WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO TODAY?"

Zim's eyelids twitched as it softly open, wondering where the loud sound is coming from. Even so, he tried to cover where his ears would be in irritation and rolled in a different position in order to try and sleep.

"HOW ABOUT WE BLOOP ALL OF OUR FRIENDS TOGETHER AND THEN HAVE PICNIC TO DO IT AGAIN!"

"THATS A GREAT IDEA, FLOOPSY-!"

"Gir..."

"YOU ALWAYS COME WITH UP WITH LOVABLE AND AMAZING IDEAS! WHAT SHOULD WE DO AFTER THAT?"

"Gir..."

"I KNOW! WE CAN SLEEP OVER AT MY HOME AND BLOOP WHILE WERE SLEEPING!"

"GIR!" Zim sharply sat up glaring at the robot.

"Yes?" His servant turned to him.

"Can you PLEASE shut that thing off?! I'm trying to sleep here!"

"Why?"

"Because-"

He felt something kicking within his stomach, followed by hunger stepping into the picture. He made a frustrated sigh and facepalmed.

"What?" Gir asked in curiosity.

"I can't sleep either way now. The smeet just woke up."

"OOOO! MORNING BABY!" He waves at the bump. But Zim was not having it and just softly glared at the robot like an exhausted parent.

"Where is Skoodge?"

"At the kitchen!" Gir pokes the bump playfully with the smeet kicking in response as if they're now starting to play a game together, "he's making macghetti!"

"What's a macghetti?"

He made a pause.

"Whatever. I'll go talk to him," he starts getting up, feeling the weight child, which makes it more of an effort to do so.

"Wait, no!" Gir frowned in sadness, "baby and I were just starting to play!"

"No Gir!" He glared back at him, "you're not playing with my stomach, it's disgusting!"

When Zim went to another room, Gir moaned and started crying in complaint, rolling about the couch endlessly until the announcer spoke out on the tv,

"Floopsy Boops Shmoopsy the movie is coming up next! Only on No Name Channel!"

"YAY!" He immediately stopped crying and sat up, "I LOVE THIS MOVIE!"

Zim enters the kitchen and sees Skoodge cooking by the stove. The other irken's antennae twitched by the sound of someone stepping into the room and turned to who it is.

"Zim!" Skoodge let out a smile, "you're awake too! You're just in time to try out my macghetti!"

"Seriously?" Zim said in unamusement, "you're calling it that because Gir said it?"

"Yep! How do you know it was Gir who thought of that name?"

"I'm his master obviously. I know everything about him."

"Oh," he chuckled, "I guess you're right. Come take a seat! The food is just about ready."

Zim shrugged,

"Hopefully it'll calm the smeet down for once."

"It should also help regain your energy," he added as he started pouring the macghetti on each plates and placing them on each side of the table. Zim picked up the fork nearby and started investigating the food suspiciously by poking it. While doing so, Skoodge called out to his servants that food was ready.

"FOOD?!"

Gir dashes in like a race car, leaving small fire trails behind him, and hoped on his seat, gobbling it down immediately with his bare hands. Minimoose floated above the chair and started nibbling the food. It seems they were both loving the food he made so much, the taller alien proud of himself. But he turned to see Zim still poking the food.

"Are you going to eat?" Skoodge asked.

"Uh...I don't know. I mean...it could be...poisonous or horrible or-"

The part of his squeedlyspooch made a groaning sound loud enough for the smeet within to flinch, Zim blushing in embarrassments. Gir made a loud giggle,

"someone's hunnngrryyyy!"

"Be quiet," Zim muttered and finally use the fork to scoop up part of the food and forced it into his mouth, causing him to harshly cringe.

The gangs all watched him take slow and steady chewing with his eyes squeezed shut. He forcefully swallows it. The cringes stop and makes a pause. Skoodge waited eagerly on his response to it.

"...eugh," Zim sticks out his tongue in disgust, "disgusting."

He lets the fork scoop up another macghetti and puts it in his mouth with this time no forceful or hesitating manner whatsoever, eating it almost like it's no big deal.

Skoodge's eyes sparkled and he squeals,

"So you like it?"

"What are you talking about? That's the worst thing I have ever eaten!" He took another bite of it.

"But you're still eating it," he smiled happily.

"Pfeh," parts of the food came out of his mouth while talking, "I'm only doing it so this smeet here can calm down. AND for my energy to recharge."

"Even so, you're eating it!"

"Don't get too excited," he warned him and continued eating Skoodge's homemade meal. The other alien couldn't help but be pleased with himself. He sat down on his own seat and was the last to start eating.

Several minutes later, almost all of them have finished eating, with Gir finishing his meal first. He looked at Skoodge.

"Can I have more?!"

"Oh...I'm sorry," Skoodge made frowned smile, "I'm afraid we're out."

"Then can I have yours instead?"

"Im almost done with mine."

"But I want moooooore," he whined.

"Go get snacks instead," Zim said still eating, "there plenty of tacos in there."

"OOO YAY TACOS!" He rushed over to get some.

With Gir now taken care of, Skoodge looked back at Zim. He appears to be almost done too. Maybe will now finally be the best time.

"Hey. Zim?"

"What?" He asked, the last piece of food going into his mouth and chewing.

"Have you contacted the tallest yet about the delay?"

Zim stiffened in shock and spit the food onto his friend's face.

The thicker irken took a moment to blink upon his eyes and process what happened, seeing Zim coughing from choking a bit. He wiped some of the chewed up food off of his face.

"Zim?"

"Ugh-Yeah," he coughed, "just-"

He made the last few coughs and looked back at him.

"Uh. What did you just say?"

"Did you ever call the tallest about the delay?"

Zim froze nervously. His eyes traced about.

"Uh...I'm...still trying to figure out what to tell them."

"How long will it take to know?"

"I mean, as long as it takes."

"But the smeet is getting close to due. How long can you wait?"

"Oh please," he scoffed, "I have nothing to worry about. I have PLENTY of time yet."

"You do?" Skoodge crosses his arms in uncertainty.

"Why ofcourse! Computer, how far along is the smeet's development?"

A device came through the ceiling and scanned Zim's body. The device went back inside the ceiling.

**"Completion of smeet's development is 82%."**

The room went quiet. Skoodge looked at Zim and Zim looked back at Skoodge, staring at each other quietly. The official invader obviously had a look like he was having none of Zim's excuses.

"...I sill have enough time," Zim answered.

"You think so?" His eyebrow raised.

"Why ofcourse! I'm due like what? Around a week by now?"

"Zim. When we first mentioned this, the smeet was halfway along. And we both know she's growing rapidly. Not to mention..."

He frowns as he continues.

"Your gestation. It's giving you drastic symptoms."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Haven't you noticed? You keep on snapping about almost anything and you will be protective over the smeet on such short notice. You're getting so easily tired that one day at skool can make your PAK go low on energy. The smeet's movement is getting strong enough to almost be noticeable, you're doing hobbies that is something nobody ever expects you to do. Like making a teddy bear and knitting smeet-size pajamas."

Zim was suddenly knitting a tiny clothing out of nowhere when he states,

"I haven't been knitting!"

Skoodge looked at him in confusion. Zim didn't know why he was looking at him like that until his knitting slowed and halted. He looked down at what he was holding. He let out an irritated growl and threw it down in frustration.

"You think telling the tallest this news is easy to you?! Why don't YOU tell them?!"

"I wish I could but I can't," Skoodge said in sadness, "I need to stay hidden from them. Otherwise they'll know where I'm at and capture me."

"ARGH! YOU'RE USELESS!"

"Z-Zim, please calm down."

"HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO CALM DOWN?! THEYLL RE-ENCODE ME AS NOTHING FOR SURE!"

Somehow, Skoodge's heart sunk when he saw him in this say this. It was obviously never going to happen, given he never heard anything about an irken being re-encoded as nothing. He saw Zim has half turned his face away from him and crossed his arms, stressfully looking down along with his antennae softly lowered. Skoodge was this time silent, trying his best to think on how he can cheer him up.

He looked back at him and slipped out of the seat, walking over until he was standing next to him. He gently reached his hand out to rest it on Zim's PAK, but got nervously hesitant about it. He instead rest his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey."

Zim looks at Skoodge when he spoke again and notice that goofy looking irken was letting out a positive smile.

"I'm sure it'll be just fine! I may not be next to you when you call them. But I'll surely be nearby if anything. So you should be all good!" He gave thumbs up.

Zim was taken back a bit by that foolish and strange guy's sudden positive attitude. Whether it has just appeared just to ease his anxieties or not, it was strangely working. And it did made him think about what he just stated.

"You know...you could be right."

He smiled

"If things don't go well, I can distract them with you and they'll be so busy lecturing you that the whole called seems like it never happened!"

Skoodge's body stiffened and made a blank gaze.

"Uh..." he gave a nervous smile, "y-yes...that's right. Though we can also try-"

"I think I'm ready," he got out of the chair, "let's head to the observatory!"

Skoodge looked in surprise.

"Wait? To call the tallest? Already?"

"You said I was taking too long."

"I-I mean...yes, but-"

"Then let's go!" Zim started exiting the kitchen already. The other alien stared out to where he left out. He sighed and turned to the servants.

"Atleast I was able to ease his fear. You two stay here."

Gir's eyes and parts of his body turned red angrily.

"You're not our master-OK!" Gir chirped our happily, turning blue again. He went back to eating the nacho snacks.

Once the servants obeyed, Skoodge went over to find Zim.

"Come on slowpoke, whats taking you so long?!"

"G-going!"

He followed to where the sound came from and went to a hallways where a wall was opened to appear an elevator with the shorter alien impatiently waiting for him. He stepped onto the elevator and Zim presses the button to take them down

—

"Ok, I shut down the doors so my servants don't barge into the lab while I'm making the call."

"You're really taking this call seriously, huh?" Skoodge asked.

"Uh no? This will be like any other call. I just don't want those two to annoy me."

Zim took a moment to pause while feeling his own bump, almost as if he was concentrating on something. Skoodge stared.

"You good?"

"Yeah, just making sure the smeet isn't moving too much. Do you see it moving?"

Skoodge didn't know why he asked, but he took a close look at it anyway.

"I mean...I often see part of your stomach twitching. But it's only noticeable when I look at it closely. Why-?"

"Do I look strange with this bump? I don't look tire or pale either, right?"

He blinked and gazed at him for a short while.

"Are you nervous again?"

"What, no?! I'm just...making sure I look in top shape! ...And not look like I have a parasite inside me."

He looks back at the screen.

"Computer, are the vortian babies fed?"

**"They been feed few minutes ago.**"

"Are they asleep?"

**"They're currently asleep." **

"Good. And no humans or Dib human nearby?"

**"No." **

"Any aliens trying to barge into my home?"

**"No." **

"Any aliens trying to destroy the Urt-?"

**"For goodness sake, how many more question do you need to ask?" **The Computer was becoming annoyed.

"AS MANY TIMES AS I NEED TO!" Zim shouted out, "I need to be fully ready for when the tallest call me!"

"Uh...aren't YOU suppose to call the the tallest?"

"Oh yes. Right. Skoodge!"

"Yes, sir!" He jumped to his poised position and saluted him.

"Hide somewhere where the tallest can't see you!"

"Right!"

Skoodge looks about the observatory. He scurried over to the opened tunnel that leads to his bedroom and hid by the entrance.

"Good. I'm ready."

Zim turns back to the computer. He took a breath to say the words.

But there were just silence. Skoodge peeked out at his hiding spot, seeing him just standing there looking at the computer with an attempted brave expression. The computer was getting annoyed after several seconds of silence.

**"I'm ready, sir."**

"Yes I know!" Zim cleared his throat and took a deep breath again.

"Computer..."

There was silence again. Skoodge now started to frown in slight confusion, but was already getting an idea on what was going on.

Zim's body was as still as a statue. He quivered.

"NnnnnnnNNNNNGH STOP KICKING, SMEET!" He harshly poked his belly, "YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!"

**"Well obviously the smeet is kicking,"** the Computer said unamused, **"my scanner indicates your heart is pulsing at a faster rate than before."**

"SILENCE! ZIM SHOWS NO FEAR!"

**"You stated it back in the kitchen..."**

"I SAID BE QUIET!"

"Zim."

"WHAT?!" He sharply turned to the hiding irken completely frustrated. Skoodge ofcourse got startled when Zim made an outburst at him. But he stayed where he was at and tried to smile at him with a calm gesture.

"Just remember what I said. And try taking slow easy breaths."

"And why would I do that?!" His narrowed eyebrow slightly raised.

"Just...breathe."

Zim started at him for a short while. But it wasn't like he couldn't find any other solution for both his fear and the smeet to calm down. He sighs. He rest his hand on his bump and closed his eyes, taking few slow and deep breath in and out. Surprisingly, his racing heart started to slow and the unborn child started to relax as the result. Once he was certain he was good, he let go of the bump and looked back onto the screen.

"Computer. Call the almighty tallest."

**"Calling the almighty tallest,"** the computer announced and made a soft ringing sound in the background.

—

"What do you mean you can't find him?! he should have come over here weeks ago!" Red demanded in frustration.

"I'm sorry sirs," one of the commanders say, "we swear we looked everywhere for him. On Irk, the conquered planets, the Massive, the snack storage room. We can't find Invader Skoodge anywhere."

"Awww come ooooon," Purple complained, "it was gonna be so much fun! We were going to eat piles of snack and wear 3D glasses while we see him get shot onto the planet and eaten alive!"

"Wait a moment," Red wondered and turned back to one of the commanders, "can you see if his PAK still has the location signal?"

"I'll try."

One of the commanders started typing it in and there were short beeping sounds.

"...oh."

"What? Is he dead?" Purple asked.

"Worse," the commander narrowed, "he's on Urth."

"On Urth?!" Red said angrily, "WHY THAT SHORT UGLY-eh Whatever."

"Whatever?!" Purple exclaimed, "we just had the failed opportunity to shoot him into a dangerous planet! I wanted to wear 3D glasses, Red! No tallest has ever worn 3D glasses!"

"Look," he responded to him, "it's not we can get him there anyways. We don't know why he decided to settle there, but as long as he remains where he is, we don't have to worry about him being a model for the short invaders."

"Mph," the purple one pouted and looked away, "I guess."

"My tallest," the commander announced, "were receiving a signal call from Urth."

Red sighed,

"Oh boy, what is it this time? Bring it up."

The commander accepted the signal and the view of the planets changed to a screen showing Zim. The tiredness was now looking noticeable on his face and his belly was now starting to get really swollen from the unborn smeet. Despite this, the pregnant irken made a poised position as much as his hardworking body can allow him and saluted.

"My tallest! This is Invader Zim, reporting for my updates."

"I can see that," Red said not showing too much interest, "you look a little...different than when we last saw you."

"Yes," he dipped his head not trying to chicken out at this topic, "I had a feeling you both would notice. But I can assure you that the progress of my great creation is going around smoothly."

Zim types something in and a small screen appeared at top left corner of his own screen. It was a picture of the developing smeet curled up, her smooth curly antennae now noticeable and her eyelashes beginning to develop. Three dark tiny spots on her cheeks were also becoming noticeable.

They looked closely.

"I see," Purple said, "so you're having a female?"

"Correct. Yet I still haven't decided yet on what to name her. Do you two have any suggestions?"

"We don't care, Zim," Red said. "You tend to be good at naming something in the past. Gir-"

"I wasn't the one who named him."

"-Minimoose, Pustolio, Lawrence, Maria. I think you can handle it."

Zim thought about it.

"You know what? You're right! Zim is always the master of names! How could I forget?"

"Right, So Are we done-?"

"Oh, right! More updates on the progress," he looks back to them.

"As of right now, I appear to be getting strange informations on the smeet's brain activity. It appears to be developing a lot more than expected and there's no telling when or how far it'll reach its peak."

"Is that bad for the smeet?" Purple asked.

"I don't know yet. Her health is still doing just fine. I'm just uncertain on how she'll cope with her birth. As far as we know, a body with a brain that highly developed cannot withstand the PAK's function."

"So...how are you going to give her the PAK?"

"That's still something to figure out. But as long as the brain and spine doesn't get too developed, the PAK insertion shouldn't be risky."

"And what happens if it does?"

The short irken fell silent for a short while.

"Other than that," he immediately changed the subject and smiled confidently, "The process is going well as planned!"

The tallest stared at the screen and glanced at each other unamused. Something tells them that the smeet will not make it.

"But...there is...something I must request," Zim twiddled his fingers nervously, making them look back him.

"A request?" Red presses his fist against his hips, "it better not be that we should send you something technologically advanced or that we should go to Urth sooner."

"Uh...no," he glanced down at the ground for a moment, "it's...something you will possibly not be pleased with."

The tallest took a bit of interest since Zim has never announced anything that was negative.

"I..."

He frowned while still gazing at the ground. He quivers before forcing it out.

"Iwannaputtheplanetconquerondelay!"

Both of their eyes widened in complete surprise. And given it took him all the guts to blurt it out, he was actually serious.

"Put it..."

"...On delay?"

"I know I know," Zim nervously twiddled his finger more, "it's...really hard to hear and please forgive me for this, my tallest. But my body is not capable on doing the mission right now. I can barely stay awake and easily move around since the smeet is costing most of the energy on my PAK. Not to mention how much she's been weighing down my body. I can barely concentrate with all the mood swings I've been having and how much the smeet would keep punching my squeedlyspooch."

"I really am making great progress though, my creation is almost complete. Just give me a week and you will not be disappointed, that I promise you!"

The tall irkens stares blankly.

"And...what will you be doing for the past week?"

"Focusing on my health I guess. Not attending Skool, getting extra rest, eat plenty of food, maybe not call you both for the time being. Just until the smeet is born."

The tallest made a pause and glance at each other the moment he said that he will call them less often. They both let out a smirk.

"B-But," he continued in almost a panicky gesture, " I promise that by the time the smeet is born, I'll call you both right away! That I assure you!"

The tallest looked back at him with now positive smiles on their faces.

"Why ofcourse Zim," Red assured him, "we understand."

"I know, I'm sorry! I know that I deserve to be-"

Zim made a pause of realization of what one of them just said.

"Wait," he looked back at them, "really? You both are not...mad at me?"

"Why would we be mad at you?" Purple spoke up, "we both know that you are working so hard in bringing this creation into the world. And we don't want something this important go to waste. Uh yeah, excellent job soldier!"

"Yes excellent work," Red gave a thumb up.

The small irken stared dazzlingly at the screen. His eyes completely lit up and he smiled huge in sheer happiness and relief.

"I...eheh!" He happily saluted.

"Thank you, my tallest! I won't let you down!"

"Very well," Red smirks, "are you satisfied?"

Zim immediately nods, acting like he was some sort of smeet again for how happy he was.

"Good, then best of luck to you and your creation."

"Will do! Invader Zim signing off!" The screen shut off, leaving the view of the planets. They stared at it for a short while and looked back at each other.

"Hey, that wasn't so bad," Purple smiled at him, "I think we did better than we thought."

"Oh yeah, THAT I can agree with. Another week without Zim calling? This is fantastic! We should make a Zim-free party!"

"Ooo! Ooo!" Purple raised his hand excitedly, "will we be able to bring out burritos and nachos? Oh please let us use smoke machines for effect this time!"

"Purple, you know this already from the last we use them that lasers are the best choice-"

Soft little beeping sounds were suddenly heard, causing them to both stiff in surprise. The commanders heard it and looked about until they noticed where they were coming from.

"My tallest? What's making your PAKS do those beeping sounds?"

The tallest froze and slowly looked at each other. They both pressed their hands on their blinking and beeping PAKS, making the sound go off.

Red turns to the commanders.

"Uh, it's nothing to worry about. Were just getting a call from another planet. We'll just talk to them from another room while you all keep look out for any ships nearby."

The commanders all saluted and went back to work. Red look at Purple and dipped his head that they should go. Purple nodded back with uncertainty on his face and they left the command room.

—-

Zim stared at the screen in silence. Skoodge fully peeked out and stared in amazement.

**"...Should I reopen the doors? Your Sir Unit won't stop trying to barging in." **

"...Go ahead."

Clanking sounds were heard across the observatory, indicating that all the doors in the observatory have been unlocked.

"...weeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Gir slide out from the ceiling and fell face first on the floor. He laid still for few seconds and got up, showing to be holding a pig plushy toy.

"Master Master look!" He waved the pig plushy in the air and ran over to him while he was still looking the screen.

"I was playing with pig! And then I thought and then I thought! And I thought of baby! And I thought and I thought that maybe I can give pig t-!"

The moment Gir went close to his master, the small irken suddenly quickly turned to him and scooped him up, twirling around with him with shrilled laughter.

Although, the robot was surprised at, he let out a manic laughter and embraced him. The pig flew off his hand and it skidded until it stopped by Skoodge's feet.

"I DID IT, GIR! I DID IT! YOU COULD HAVE SEEN IT! ZIM WAS ABLE TO PLEASE THE TALLEST AS ALWAYS! ZIM RULES!"

Skoodge was planning on picking the pig toy up when he started seeing Zim beginning to wobble a bit from spinning.

"Zim, wait!"

He sped as fast he could to him and was able to catch him on time by the time he fell back, back, but still laughing and embracing Gir.

"Zim are you ok?" Skoodge asked worriedly, "is the the smeet ok?"

"I feel GREAT!" He smiled back at him, "did you see the look on the tallest's face?! They were both so proud of me! And did you see how brave the great Zim was?! I KNEW I was gonna win them over somehow!"

Skoodge ofcourse didn't try to remind him on how he was nervous before the call. He just felt lit up at the sight of his childhood friend. He looks so happy. Sure he saw him happy earlier today when he won the dodgeball game. But this kind happiness he was seeing from him right now is the kind he hasn't seen from him in a long time. Maybe since the Invader encoding ceremony? Who knows. But it's been such a long time.

Zim's laughter began to die down and he glanced at Skoodge as he was doing so. His smile faded into a blank expression. He noticed this irken looking at him with a fond smile on his face, looking to be happy for him. Zim paused for a short while longer. He softly narrowed. He makes himself go back to his feet and shoves him away. Skoodge watches with a blank expression as he watches him put down the still giggling Gir and neat up his tightened uniform.

"Right! Anyways, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! We shall treat ourselves to...Uh..." Zim tried to think about it.

"The Floopsy marathon?!" Gir chirped out. Zim gazed at the robot.

"Eh, I guess that'll work. Let's go."

The duos started walking away. Skoodge then looks back, noticing the pig toy still there. He looks back at them.

"Hey um Gir?" Skoodge called out, "you dropped your pig."

"Say what?"

"You dropped your-"

"What?" Gir didn't pay attention and continued following Zim. Skoodge looked at him for a while and back at the pig. He was gonna get and pick it up for himself when he was halted by Zim saying,

"Are you coming?"

Skoodge took a moment to look back at him, in which the two were standing by the elevator.

"...coming for what?"

"To watch the Floopsy marathon with us. Minimoose will likely join too."

The pudgy irken's eyes sparkled a bit by his request. It was the very first time in a long time Zim has invited him to something. He's not even sure if he ever asked if he can hang out.

"What?" Zim said impatiently, "you wanna take a nap or something?"

"N-no!" He smiled, "I'll love to! Wait for me!"

Skoodge hurried over to the elevator. Once he was there, Zim looked up.

"Computer, take us to the living room."

**"Right away, sir." **

The elevator rose up, making them exit the room. The pig on the other hand laid there at the near center of the observatory.

—-

"Why would they call us during an important operation?" Purple question while rubbing his PAK, the two tallest seen taking an elevator in the massive.

"It doesn't make sense," Red tried to figure it out, "the last time we ever spoke to them privately was the night before the opening ceremony of Operation: Impending Doom 2. They told us to focus on it. Why would they call us?"

"I don't know, but I rather have stayed in the command room and eat snacks then be doing this," Purple said in irritation.

"Maybe it was a false call. After all, elites have moments on making false alarms all the time. Maybe one is a newbie?"

Red kept pondering. That was until the elevator came to a slow halt. The door opened and the two tall irkens arrived at a dark small room that is the core of the massive. This was a room the almighty tallest would use to make private contacts with aliens from another tallest. Red went over to type something on the keyboard.

**"Contacting Planet Judgementia." **

A small screen lit up and it showed an elite irken soldier standing behind what is known as the Spike of Judgement in the distance.

"Hey!" Purple narrowed at the elite soldier, "shouldn't you all be doing something rather than make false alarm meeting signal? The Irken empire is having a special mission right now!"

"We apologize to make the signal at this time my tallest," he dipped his head, "but we were just given a request by the control brains that they must meet with you."

"What for?"

"They didn't give us much information. Only something about an information you sent to them few weeks ago."

"Few weeks ago..." Red tried to think about what it was, given that they're always sending updates by even the smallest things going on. He looks back at the screen.

"Do they really need to meet us now?"

"They say you both must head over to Judgementia to discuss it."

"But I don't wanna leave the massive," Purple complained, "it's nice, entertaining and homey here."

Red sighs,

"If it's required, we don't have any other choice. We're gonna have to assign the soldiers on this ship to escort us over there. It should Atleast take a week or two to get there-"

"TWO WEEKS?!" Purple blurted our and saddened, "but what about the party?!"

Red closed his eyes.

"Guess we have to cancel it."

He looked at the screen again.

"Thank you for informing us, soldier. We'll get our best soldiers in this ship and we'll head right over while the Massive continues its destination to the targeting planets."

"Right," The elite saluted, "we'll be waiting for you then."

The screen shuts off.

"Welp," Red said unamused, "off to Judgementia it is. They better have a good reason for calling us."

He turned to the other tallest.

"You. Go ahead and start assigning escorts. I'll make an announcement at the command room of our departure."

Purple didn't say anything and he watched him leave, taking the elevator to the command room. Purple made a soft groan of frustration and turned back to start organizing teams.

"Sometimes being a tallest can be so difficult," he muttered to himself.


	9. Chapter 9: The Pig

"Can you still make it?" The two irkens were hurrying over to the elevator. The taller one was shown aiding him worriedly.

"Ugh, I think so," Zim said trying to act calm while clutching his stomach, "I think the pain is starting to die down, but I don't know when it'll actually start."

"Ok, we're almost there," Skoodge looks up at the ceiling, "Computer, please take us to the observatory."

There was no response.

Zim narrowed.

"COMPUTER!"

**"What?" **

"Take us to the observatory! Quickly!"

**"Yes, sir."**

The elevator started to go down. Skoodge sighed stressfully,

"You really need to get this computer to listen to our commands."

"OUR commands?!" Zim glared at him, "May I remind you that I'M in charge of this base?!"

"But if you were to get hurt, who would take you over to the observatory?" He narrowed back.

"Please, I got my head nearly squashed, I almost blew up, I got burned by the water of this planet AND meat SEVERAL times! Not to mention I've gotten eaten alive by an alien creature when I was cleaning a toilet in Foodcourtia! I can walk home with all those injuries-!"

The elevator suddenly halted, causing Zim and Skoodge to stop arguing and look about.

**"Stop arguing! You both are acting like children!" **

"Computer!" Zim shouted, "this is not time for group therapy junk! Take us to the observatory before it becomes a mess here!"

The computer groaned,

**"Fine. But you're wasting time-"**

"We're NOT wasting time! The smeet HAS to be coming right now! Now go!"

The computer didn't say anything else and the elevator continued lowering until it got to its destination. The computer has already put up the medical bed in the middle of the observatory before it's master would ever command it to do so.

"Here," Skoodge said, "it's not safe to walk to the medical bed. Let me carry you-"

"I don't need to be carried," he told him, " I can do it myself!"

His spider legs came out of his PAK and he used them to crawl over to the medical bed and set himself down.

"Alright, Computer," Zim told it as Skoodge approached beside the bed, "how long will it be till the egg comes out?"

**"Estimation few days through one week." **

"No, there has to be a misunderstanding. I felt the smeet kick so hard it felt like it was gonna burst out of me. And you don't know how much that hurt! I HAVE to be having the smeet now!"

The computer made a long deep sigh.

**"For...the THIRD time...the smeet's development isn't complete yet." **

Skoodge let out a sigh of relief when he announced this.

"There has to be a mistake though. YOU said the smeet would arrive within two months. Today IS two months. How much more do I have to wait until my body dies from exhaustion?!"

**"Well,"** the Computer responded, **"No irken has ever had a smeet growing inside them for thousands of years and there are no exact recordings as to how long the gestation last. The best I can do is to give the estimation of when the smeet will be born and make recordings of the progress so that these things can be more prepared." **

"But the tallest can't wait longer than a week! She needs to come out NOW! You! Smeet!"

He pokes his swollen belly angrily.

"You have an important purpose to do right now and this is NO time for sleeping around in there! Get out of my body before...!"

He tries to think of the punishment.

"...before...before I leave you outside of the backyard for two hours!"

The smeet didn't really respond except calmly shifting to a comfortable position and resting again. He continued to glare at it.

"SMEET! I ORDER YOU TO COME OUT!"

"I don't think she wants to come out, Zim. You heard what the computer says. She's not ready."

"How can she not be ready?" He crossed his arms.

"I mean," he shrugs, "some smeets like to rush and some decide to wait a little more. Take me for example, I was considered fully developed a week after the expected date I would be born. Say now thinking about it...didn't you ever said you were born late?"

"I was several weeks late," Zim muttered, crossing his arms, "though I should have gotten out of that incubation capsule earlier than that so I can show my worth faster."

"So you understand her now, right?"

"Eh, maybe. Still. The tallest better not call me before she's born."

"I'm sure they can wait," he made a soft smile and looked down at the bump.

"It's fine, little smeet. You can come out when you're ready."

"Don't encourage her to stay in there longer," he squinted.

He shrugs and gave an awkward innocent smile,

"I just don't want her to feel pressured."

"Whatever," he grunts when he sits up and goes to the edge of the table.

"Can you help me out here? My back aches every time I have to use the spider legs."

Skoodge went over to him and gently held him so he can be carefully slipped out of the bed and placed on the ground.

Zim sighs in relief and rest his hand on his bump, looking at Skoodge,

"Thanks. Now pretend that never happened."

"Yes sir," he dipped his head.

Just then, beeping sounds were heard.

**"Vortian babies in hunger."**

Zim groans,

"Alright Alright."

Zim waddles over to the controls and pulls a handle. The medical bed sinks away and is replaced with a capsule containing the Vortian babies. They were wailing, tears streaming down their cheeks. Zim then presses another button to open up a small storage containing three milk bottle already filled up, fresh and warm. The only difference with this "milk" is that it has a color of dark blue. He takes them, walks over to the capsule and presses the "erase children" button.

Skoodge's eyes went huge in horror.

"WAIT WHAT ARE YOU-?!"

The capsule opens. Skoodge watches still completely stiffened as Zim takes out one Vortian baby, finds the nearest chair to sit down in, and tries to cradle it, making it a bit difficult since the smeet bump is taking too much space to place the baby on his lap.

"Alright alright, shut up," he told the baby, "drink it already so I can keep track on the smeet's progress."

The baby kept crying.

"NOW!"

The baby stopped crying and gazed at Zim almost as if its suppose to be terrified of him. It instead giggled and wiggled its legs about.

"Good. NOW DRINK IT!"

He forced the bottle into its mouth, taking the child by surprise. After a moment, it's eyes half closed as it started suckling and let the side of its head rest against Zim's chest.

Skoodge still stared with a stunned expression until he was able to process what he just saw.

"Wait...so...that button was actually just something to open the capsule?"

Yep," Zim easily answered while he kept focusing on the baby and patting its back in a gentle manner.

"But...why did it say it would 'erase children'?"

"You got a problem with that?" He looked up at the other irken narrowing.

"N-no no no!" He quickly gestures, "it's just...why would your put that?"

Zim silently stared at him unamused.

"Listen," he pointed out, "this is just between you and me. If 777 calls, don't tell him ANYTHING about this. I'm making great use of him because I am holding these babies hostage and if he sees what the button really does, he'll just cut ties with me. Note that he's the one who helped me create minimoose, so they wouldn't have existed if I didn't decide to-"

He cringes,

"-'rescue' these ugly little creatures. I gotta keep them alive somehow, so this is one of the only ways to do it."

Zim continues focusing on the infant. Skoodge gazed at him for a while.

"Uh...I see."

His antennae suddenly twitch from sudden loud wailing sounds and turned to see that it was coming from the two other baby aliens in the capsule.

"Silence, Vortian babies!" Zim shouted at them, "you'll get your turn when your sibling is done."

The babies kept crying and yet even so, Zim just looked away, trying to ignore it this time. The pudgy irken stared at the crying babies, feeling pity for them.

Something came into his mind and he looks at the exhausted irken.

"Hey, Zim? Is it ok if I help take care of the other babies?"

"What?" Zim looked at him as if he was speaking nonsense, "Dont be ridiculous. It took me a long time until I can master it. And the next thing I need is for the babies to barf all over the capsule."

The baby began nibbling at the bottle's tip, indicating it's done. Zim pulls the bottle away, put it down and started patting it's back.

"Well..." Skoodge shrugged, "then maybe you can teach me how to take care of them? After all, with the smeet on the way, there's no telling if she needs attention and given you work a lot here, it'll be busier once she's here."

Zim thought about it while the baby let out a burp. He rolled his eyes,

"Alright fine. Come over here."

Skoodge nodded, with Zim grunting from sitting up and waddled back to the capsule. The first baby was almost asleep by the time he put it in the capsule.

"You grab the baby on the left. I'll grab the one on the right."

"Right," Skoodge immediately accepted and grabbed the crying baby on the left while Zim grabs the other one.

"Computer," Zim told it, "bring in a chair next to the nearest one."

**"Right away, sir." **

A chair rose up from the floor next to the chair Zim was previously sitting in. Zim and Skoodge both walked over, taking each of them.

"Alright" Zim took one bottle and gave it to Skoodge, "now pay VERY close attention. And you need to be very careful when doing this. First, get the baby in a cradled position. Like I'm doing right now."

Zim shows the baby being cradled on his arms and close to his chest.

"Like this?" Skoodge cradled the baby close to the top of his chest.

"That's too high. Let the baby be close between your stomach and chest."

The official invader lowered the baby to the exact spot he told him.

"Good. Now find a way to make it stop crying."

"How?"

"I don't know. What I would do though is tell them to and if not, yell at them."

The short one sharply turns to them and quickly shouts,

"HEY STOP CRYING!"

The baby got startled, but was able to stop crying. Zim goes ahead and put the bottle tip in the baby's mouth. The pudgy alien looks frowning.

"Isn't that...a little harsh?"

"I don't care, Atleast it works."

"But...I would never yell at anyone. Not even a baby."

"Do you have any other suggestion?" Zim challenged him.

"N-no. But-"

"Then yell at it."

Skoodge stared nervously at Zim for a short while. He looks back at the crying baby in his arms. He took a deep breath and hesitated for a moment.

"Uh...hey...you...baby...b-be...quiet and...Uh..."

"Come on Skoodge, your invader blood should still be in your veins, just let it out," Zim looked at him narrowing.

Skoodge made another hesitation, frowning more. He cleared his throat.

"B-baby...I-if..." he tried to force the shouting out but was instead quieter, "if you...don't stop...I.."

He finally nervously spoke so softly it can just be heard as inaudible whispering. Zim was starting to grow impatient.

"I can take that creature from here, you know."

"No no no no!" Skoodge said a little panicky, "I can do it just...let me try something else!"

"Like what?"

"I don't know just...whatever it takes."

Zim looked at him for a beat.

"Fine," he continued feeding the baby in his arms, "you're on your own then."

Skoodge looked at Zim for a moment and back at the baby, who was still crying. He gently held it up trying to think of the best way to make it stop crying.

"Uh...h-hi," he spoke nervously but kindly, "please don't cry. It's ok."

It kept wailing, tears kept streaming down its cheeks. Skoodge tried to think of something else he can do.

He set the baby down on his laps. He was very hesitant about it, but he lifted up his finger. He shakily drew it closer and closer to the crying baby. The closerit got, the more nervous he became. The finger drew close...and poked its belly,

"Boop?" Skoodge squeaked nervously

The baby immediately stop crying. They glanced down at the finger that poked its belly. It then looked up at the irken.

"Boop?" The baby spoke the word questionably. He blinked in surprise that the baby actually spoke. But he shook the thought off. He looked down and pulled his finger away from its belly. He pokes them again

"Boop."

The baby blinked few times to process it. They giggled,

"Boop!"

Zim pulled the milk away and was helping the baby burp when he heard sounds and turn to see what it was, recognizing that the baby Skoodge was holding was actually smiling.

Skoodge chuckled, smiling at the little fella, and pokes them again,

"Boop."

"Boop!"

"Boop!"

"Boop!"

"Boop Boop Boop Boop Boop!" He pokes their belly repeatedly in a playful manner, causing the baby to howl in laughter. Zim was impressed, and at the same time, annoyed with all the bopping sounds. It was like the show Gir watches but more annoying.

"Alright alright ALRIGHT! I think that baby had ENOUGH boppings!"

Both Skoodge and the baby blankly gazed at Zim. The former took a deep breath and sighs.

"Ok...now that the baby stopped crying, you can now give it the bottle."

"Oh yes," Skoodge remembered, "right!"

He picks up the bottle again,

"Ok, baby Vortian," he smiles at them, "time for your feeding."

The baby got distracted by copying what Skoodge did to them and started poking the irken's belly like it was some sort of marshmallow.

"Boop! Boop! Boop!"

"Oh how nice," Zim softly narrows, "you gave it the 'boop' virus."

Skoodge wanted to softly laughed when he said this, but decided to focus more on getting the baby to drink.

"Now now," he pulled their finger away from his stomach, "we can play the Boop Boop game later."

"Boop boop game?" Zim asked unamused, but the other irken continued.

"You need to focus on filling your tummy. Now say 'ahhh'."

The baby looked confused on why they should say that.

"Aah-?"

The bottle tip when inside their mouth, taken by surprise at first, but falling into a trance when they began sucking it. Skoodge smiles and started lifting the bottle up-

"No no no no no, don't do that!" Zim stops him.

"Huh?" He immediately stops.

"There's a GOOD reason why they kept on throwing up in the capsule. It took me thirty-six tries to realize that I should not do that. And within those attempts came thirty-six times I had to clean that freaking capsule because the computer refused to clean it! Those babies' stomachs can't handle drinking that fast!"

"Oh..." Skoodge looked down at the infant, who was reaching for the bottle.

"Here," Zim let the baby he was holding rest on his bump, letting one arm wrap around them so they won't fall, and letting himself use his other hand to help Skoodge position the bottle correctly.

"First," he insert the bottle tip back into the child's mouth, "let it latch onto the bottle. And don't move the bottle too high or low. It needs to be at the correct position where it can drink at a steady pace. Like this."

Zim position the bottle at a mid direction where the baby can suckle the bottle easily.

"See? It helps it suckle at its own pace."

Skoodge stared in awe at the baby looking so peaceful as they was being fed. They were making quick suckling sounds, their eyes calmly closed shut. For a moment, he felt a flutter of that strange new emotion that he could have sworn he felt few times already and yet couldn't understand what it was

"Yes...I do."

"Good. And when you're done with it, put it back in the capsule with the rest of its siblings," he grunted when sitting up, "I'm putting this one away."

Zim waddled off to put the sleeping child away.

Skoodge took a moment to look at Zim for a moment, making sure he doesn't loose balance or any of the short due to how the smeet has grown to the point where he is now walking awkwardly. But once he knew he can take care of himself, he looked back at the baby now nibbling on the tip. He pulls it out. Skoodge then recalled he needed to do something next with how uncomfortable the infant looked, turning back to Zim.

"Uh, Zim? Somethings wrong with the baby."

"It needs to burp, idiot," he settle the baby down next to their sibling, "just give it a pat on the back and it'll do so."

"Ah! Right," he held the baby up and gave them nice gentle pattings. It took a minute for the baby to let out a loud burp. Smiling, he pulled away from the smeet and the baby softly giggled. Somehow it took him this long to take notice of the eyelashes on their eyes. He blinked in surprise and turned back to Zim.

"Hey, Do you know what genders they are?"

"Never bothered to ask. But 777 would always say words like 'sons' and 'daughter'."

"Huh," Skoodge looked back at her with a fond smile, "so you must be the daughter."

She giggled again and reached out, "Boop Boop."

"Alright," he chuckled, "we can play the game again."

He let her be close to his body.

"But just remember that it can't last-"

He felt the tiny arms wrap around his body as much as she could, causing him to stiffen and process what was happening.

He looked down to see her nestling against and hugging him like he's a big teddy bear. She yawns and falls asleep. He processed a little more and his antennae raised in happiness.

"Zim," he turns to him, "Zim come here! I think she likes me!"

"Who?"

"The baby! Look, she fell asleep on me."

Zim waddled over to see what he was talking about. He looked down at the infant. He looked surprised but then bothered about something.

Skoodge noticed.

"Am I doing something wrong?"

"...no." He squinted and went over to the computer, sitting down on the chair.

Knowing his friend since they were smeets , it took him a short while to realize the face he made.

"Are you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous?" He spoke out in an angrier tone, "I'm still better at taking care of babies than you."

He opened his mouth to say something else but closed it. It was possibly best not to upset him more if he tried to give evidence that he was. Instead he said,

"I know you'll be a good parent to the smeet, Zim."

Zim hesitated for a moment. But let out a frustrated growl.

"IM NOT HER-Oh look, Gir dropped his pig," he pointed out to the toy on the ground, "can you go give it to him?"

Skoodge glanced at the pig, finding it strange he changed the subject so suddenly. Was he just asking him this just to break that subject? He can't get angry at him though. He likely just needs to cool off.

"Right! Hold on."

Skoodge first walked over and gently put the baby inside the capsule. Then he went over to pick up the pig and looked at the other irken.

"Do you know where he is?"

"Possibly in the living room. He tends to watch the tv almost 24/7. If not, check the kitchen. He likes to have tea time with random animals every once in a while. Or snack on something."

He nodded,

"I'll be right back then. Shouldn't be long."

He went over to the elevator and it rose him to the top floor.

Zim meanwhile sighed, but pulled himself together and cracked his fingers.

"Ok computer, scan me so I can get a good look at the smeet."

**"Right, sir!" **

The device came down and scanned him. The ultrasound came up and it kept zooming until the smeet was seen. It was very obvious that there was really an infant irken inside him, looking fully developed. Her eyes, antennae, arms, legs, especially a small buck tooth, all of it look like they have finished developing. Her eyes were very slightly opened, but it was impossible to tell what colors they were because the ultrasound was in black in white. But judging by the lightings, she has an eye color that is lighter than her own skin.

She closed them, shifted a lot to which the irken can feel the movements and settled again. She made a quick yawn and put her fingers in her mouth. He looked closely at her appearance, almost at awe.

"You look...a lot like me."

**"Are you talking to the smeet?"**

"What's wrong with that?" Zim narrowed at the ceiling.

**"...nothing." **

He rolled his eyes and looked back at the screen.

"Computer, bring up the development chart."

The ultrasound was replaced with list of infos, including the heart rate, the completion percentage, and the brainwave. Zim looked very closely at the brainwave.

"That's...unusual."

He took a moment to process it all. He looked back at the screen.

"Computer. Is it possible you can show me the smeet's skeleton?"

** "Can do." **

"Show it to me."

The screen showed the skeletal view of the smeet. The spines were alot developed and hardened than it should be. Inserting the PAK unto the back will be highly risky. He processed again.

"Tell me, computer. What are the percentage that the PAK will be successfully inserted unto the smeet's back."

A whirring sound was heard.

**"00000000.00001% chance of success. If successful, 100% chance of a permanent brain damage."**

Zim made another pause.

"And what is the percentage that a smeet with such a strong brain function can live without a PAK?"

Whirring sounds were heard again. But this this time it took a very long time for it to stop.

**"Result unknown." **

He stared blankly at the screen , not knowing what to think of this. This is a natural irken after all, right? That means natural irkens can live without a PAK. Yet he wondered if there was anything else they used to keep their body alive. Something not technologically related. If so, what is it? Even if he asked, it's not like the computer would find any answers to this. He gently placed his hand on his belly as he kept staring. He was now starting to feel a sense of worry.

—-

"Gir?"

Skoodge came into the living room looking about, but couldn't find the robot anywhere. He did however saw Minimoose on the couch texting. They noticed him and squeaked a greeting.

"Hey Minimoose," Skoodge greeted back and walked up to them.

"Say, do you know where Gir is?"

"Nyah!"

"Good," he smiles, "thanks!"

He left the living room and entered the kitchen. Just as Minimoose told him, the SIR unit was there having tea time with a small blue pony on the other side of the chair.

"Hey Gir," Skoodge greeted the robot.

Gir blinked and turned to him before smiling.

"Ooo! Hi, Chipz!"

"It's Skoodge," the irken corrected him patiently.

"Chipz was my SIR unit."

"Can he join teatime?!" Gir chirped.

But he ignored that question and walked next to him, letting his hands out to show what he was carrying.

"Here. You dropped this about a week ago in the observatory. Zim has a feeling you would feel sad without it.

Gir looked closely at it.

"Oh yeeeeeah. I did dropped it. And I do need it."

He made another pause. He looked up at him smiling.

"I don't need it!"

"Huh?"

"I don't need it anymore. It belongs to baby now!"

Skoodge grew more confused.

"I...I don't understand what you're saying."

"Yeah don't you remember, Ted? I went over to give baby the pig!"

"Wait," Skoodge took a moment to think about it, "Are you saying you came over to Zim a week ago after his call with the tallest...just to give the smeet a toy?"

"Uh-Huh! I felt she must feel lonesome without a pig to hold. So I gave her pig!"

The irken look at him in awe.

"...you gave up your only pig...just to make your unborn sister happy?"

"Nahhhh, I have plenty of pigs to play with! ...Wait, I have a sister?"

He realized what he said and blushed.

"N-never mind what I said. But..."

He made a soft smile.

"That's...very sweet of you to do. I'll make sure I give it to her."

"Let me meet her!" The robot smiles.

"She's not ready. She'll be here when she feels like it," he informed.

"Ooohhhh."

Gir paused.

"OKAY BACK TO TEA TIME!"

He pours the coffee onto his head and then uses a teapot to have a refill, sipping on it this time. Skoodge decided not to question his actions and decided to go back to the observatory so he can check up on Zim. He did looked bothered from the whole jealousy thing, so he wants to make sure he was cooling off.

He decided to stuff the pig underneath his uniform to make it easier to carry.

—

As soon as the elevator halts at the observatory, the pudgy irken invader stepped out. He was heading to where he last saw Zim when he noticed he wasn't sitting on the chair anymore. He looked about.

"Zim? Zim, are you here?"

There was no answers but the sound of the Vortian babies snoring in the capsule. He however didn't want to panic yet and decides to check in the tunnel just in case. He walked inside it and decided to take the turn to his bedroom.

"Zim-"

He finally finds him once he entered, relieved that he was ok. He however was confused when he saw him laying on his bed. His eyes was calmly staring down at his swollen belly as both of his hands rest on it and one of them caressing it.

"Zim," Skoodge looked at him confused, "what are you doing on my bed?"

"Stealing it. That's what," he grumbled, never taking his eyes off his stomach.

Skoodge blinked,

"Are you still upset with me? You know that I didn't expect the baby to like me."

"Ofcourse you didn't, you were just lucky. Besides, I can't be bothered about that part anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

But the taller irken knew something was off. His face was giving off the hint that he wasn't jealous anymore, but a soft mixture of stress and concern.

Skoodge decides to go over and sit on the edge of the bed, letting him have a bit of space in order to not make Zim uncomfortable.

"You know you can talk to me about anything. After all," he tries to make a teased smile, "I remember how you would tend to speak out your feelings to random people whenever you were bothered about something. And when I discovered this, I would let you come and blurt out your feelings any time. Remember how you came into the middle of my elite test just so you can complain about an irken stepping through your routine path?"

He laughed and sighs,

"Oh those were the days. You use to do that a lot-"

"I still do it," Zim said still not looking at him.

"Oh you. Well...that's fine! You can let out your feelings any time you like. If you don't want to right now then uh...i understand-"

"The PAK can't be inserted on her back."

Skoodge took a pause and looked at him.

"Huh?"

"Th spine has hardened too much and the brain is too highly functional. She can die or get permanently damaged if I tried to insert a PAK on her. The computer can't even be certain if she can live without it'."

"...oh."

The chubby irken glanced away for a moment.

"Well...that's ok!" He looks back with a smile, "having a high functional brain is great news! If other aliens can rely on such a thing, than maybe a natural irken can!"

"I knoooooooow!" He groans in frustration and leans his head back, "I've been thinking of many excuses. But what if it doesn't work for irkens? What if...I don't know...there's something other aliens have that makes the body stable? And even if she DOES survive the delivery..."

He looks straight at him in soft panic.

"HOW can she be part of the Irken military?! It's not like the control brains can assign her a role if she doesn't have a PAK! AND HOW WILL SHE ABLE TO GET SNACK OUT OF THE VENDING MACHINE?! NO IRKEN CAN GO ABOUT WITHOUT GETTING SNACK OUT OF A VENDIGN MACHINE!"

"But..." Skoodge looked in confusion, "were not on Irk."

"Not right now, but SOON. It won't be long until the Urth is conquered and we can finally go home."

"But would it change anything if the Tallest already expects the child to be a natural irken? I saw they were proud of you the last you called them."

He took a moment of pause and calmed.

"Oh yeah, I guess you're right."

His body fully relaxed and he continued to caress his bump, yet his eyes still showed the expression of concern.

"Though they won't be happy if anything happens to her."

Right. Claiming he only worries about the smeet because the tallest would get upset about his failure. Skoodge however did not show grudge for him over this. After all, it's not like any irken when they were born were meant to exist just to be wanted and loved. They've always been seen as spawns. Their purpose was being part of expanding the empire. And if a short or defective irken were to come into the world, they would be treated as an outcast.

Skoodge has never been so fond of the system, which is it's likely he's a defective. Yet even so, he feels the need to act like he belongs there as part of survival and being wanted. And it's likely Zim feels the same thing.

"I'm sure she'll be fine Zim," Skoodge attempts to reassure his childhood friend. "If this smeet have survived this far and has shown a stabled health, then I'm sure she'll be ok."

Zim just shrugged,

"Eh. I guess."

The chubbier alien just softly nodded, knowing that no matter what he says, the anxiety won't leave the shorter irken any time soon. He glanced about, wondering if he should leave so he can have sometime alone. Zim was silent for a short while.

"...She looks just like me, you know."

The thought suddenly cut off and he looked back at Zim, who was staring at the bulge. Somehow the tone he made sounded gentle, which is unusual for someone who is always loud and shouting.

"I was checking the ultrasound today while you were giving that obnoxious pig back to Gir. She has the same head shape, the same body proportion. It's likely she even has the shape and size of my eyes."

Skoodge looked surprise.

"How is that possible?"

"Possibly just like how humans reproduce. Their offsprings will always have the DNA of their parents. Why that is, is possibly complicated."

"I see," he said still in awe at this new information. Then he realized something.

"Did you ever try and see if she has an appearance of her other parent. Maybe we can try and see if we can identify who that parent is."

"Like I said before," he rolled his eyes a bit, "I don't care who the other parent is. But if I can say what part of her that doesn't look like me, it would be the eyelashes, the buck tooth, the curly atennae, and some sort of tiny spots on her cheeks."

"Tiny spots?"

"Yeah, not sure what that is when the ultrasound is in black and white. Though it may be just freckles."

"Freckles?" Skoodge's eyes widened more, showing interest at learning more information on what the smeet looks like.

"Or birth marks," he added. "Like I said, it's just a guess. I can't even see if she has color of my eyes or not. The only way to get her clear appearance is when she's out."

"And...you still haven't thought of a name for her?"

"Nope. I have been planning though on doing so when she arrives."

Skoodge smirks,

"I guess it's the best idea we got."

Zim however didn't respond to it. His arms wrapped around his stomach a bit more as if he was slightly hugging the smeet. Skoodge's smiles fade.

"Zim?"

It took him a short moment before he asked,

"What will she be like?"

Skoodge blinked again,

"What do you mean?"

"Something tells me that this smeet will have a personality of her own, right? And if the tallest get here by the time she's grown, what will she be like? How will she react to living on this planet or how she will cope with it? Will she...still want to be around me?"

Skoodge's antennae rose a bit by those questions. He never expected Zim to start showing thoughts towards the smeet. Was he really starting to have second thoughts of how he views the smeet?

"What makes you worry that she wouldn't want to be around you?"

Zim took a moment to realize on the last question he spoke of and the usual short-tempered expression came back.

"It's NOT like I'm fond of her or anything! She's just...a..."

It faded again, trying his best to think of the best way to finish that sentence. Skoodge waited for him to answer. Then few moments later, his eyes narrowed again and pointed out,

"Well she OBVIOUSLY my servant!"

His face softened for the third time and he glanced away with his arms crossed.

"But even so, it's hard to describe it. I mean. She's part of me. This isn't just a smeet."

His antennae lowered a bit.

"I'm creating a smeet that has my blood, my appearances. Sure yeah, I was hoping for a male but...Urrgh! It's so hard to describe it. It has been bugging my heart lately and I don't like it!"

Skoodge obviously wanted to tell him what he was feeling but knew that even if he did answer all of his questions, he deny it. At this point though, it was becoming clear that it is up to Zim to discover this for himself, no matter how long it takes.

Skoodge reaches out and rest his hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok."

Zim eyes traced back at him, looking stress from everything he was thinking and feeling.

"You don't need worry too much about it," the invader continued with a warm gentle smile, "I'm sure the answers to all of your questions will come about eventually. You just need to focus giving her all care and attention she needs."

The small irken did not show a change of expression, but he remained quiet, his eyes still gazing at him.

"...And I know you will do whatever it takes to make her happy. If you can show her that, then I'm certain she always stay beside you."

Still, Zim remained looking at him, his expression now unreadable. He softly looked away from him and back at his bump, making no response towards him whatsoever. Skoodge's smile vanished and he grew concerned. Did he made him more stressed? Is he angry at him for bringing that answer up?

Even so, he can understand that maybe the former invader is still not comfortable with these kinds of stuff. Maybe it is better he should be left alone and just hope he can recover from these thoughts. Saddened, Skoodge was about to get out of the bed and leave when Zim's hand suddenly grabbed his wrist. He hesitated for a moment and looked back, noticing he did this without not breaking eye contact on his bump.

He couldn't understand why he was holding unto his wrist so suddenly. But unexpectedly, when the few seconds of freezing in their same positions were up, Zim moved Skoodge's hand close him until he let the the other irken's hand rest on his bump. It took him a short while to process what is happening, having hard time believing it, but it finally crept into him. His small ruby eyes glistened from this realization, looking away from the bump to meet his beloved friend's face.

"Zim-?"

"Be quiet and just feel."

He closed his mouth shut when he told him this, willing to obey his orders. His eyes trailed back at the swollen stomach, taking a moment to feel it. It was strangely very warm, given this part of his body is trying to keep the growing life nice and warm. The bulge was obviously hard, but there was still softness in the flesh that if he were to press his fingers down on it a bit, it would have almost a cushiony feeling.

Even when he wasn't feeling anything yet, just the moment Zim let Skoodge rest his hand there, a wave of thought and feeling that something so fragile and small, yet so full life and innocence was inside there, caved into his body. He stiffens in surprise when he felt what was like something made little leaps, followed by it shifting about, trying to find a new different comfortable position. For a moment, he could have sworn that he saw tiny bumps pass down his friend's stomach like tiny gentle waves.

Once the movements within relaxed, he at first didn't know what to say. But he finally looked at Zim, his eyes still reflecting in awe at what he just felt.

"Was that...her?"

"Who else would it be, genius?" He looked at him as if it was obvious.

"B-but...I thought she was asleep."

"Pssh!" He rolled his eyes again, "as if it was that simple. There have been moments where she falls asleep for At least an hour or two. The rest would be her messing around in there 24/7. Sometimes, if I'm lucky, she would get in a hyper mood to the point where she will painfully kick my squeedlyspooch. Might have nearly thrown up At least twice because of her. She won't listen to a word I say when I scold her."

"Heh..." Skoodge made a weak teasing smile, "I can't imagine. Though maybe she's not good at hearing what's going on outside."

Despite this theory he made up, looked back down at the unborn smeet within.

"Hey now, little one," he spoke in a nurturing tone, his finger petting the bump, "I know you're uncomfortable in there. But try being a little more gentle for your master, ok? After all, he's working so hard to bring you into this world."

The small being within his belly hesitated, making the taller one think that talking to her actually helped. But she leapt again, making the smaller irken stiffen in response. He noticed this and used his other hand to rub his shoulder.

"You ok?"

"I'm FINE," he answered clearly and comforted his stomach, "but nice try."

Skoodge made a soft laugh,

"Ofcourse."

But the laughed faded slowly the more he kept feeling the smeet continue to move about. And the more he continued to do so, the emotional feeling started to become overwhelming. It was the same thing he was feeling when holding one of the Vortian babies and was the sort of feeling that felt like a bond. He can tell now that it was something Zim was also starting to feel. But he feels that having these feelings were wrong. He actually wanted to see this little smeet as part of his own. But given the child doesn't have blood running through the official invader's veins...

The sensitive side of him finally escaped, his lips quivering more until he broke into a sob. Zim noticed this in a bit of surprise.

"Woah woah woah, what's with your waterworks all of a sudden? There's no need to go crying over a smeet moving inside me."

"I know," his voice cracked as he tried to wipe tears out of his eyes.

"It's just," he stopped wiping his tears and made a broken smile, "she's yours. She's yours and yet, I always..."

He stopped and he looked away blushing.

"You always what?" Zim raised his eyebrow raised.

"I...I kind of started to see her as my offspring too."

Zim took a moment to process what he just said.

"This better not be what I think it is-"

"N-n-n-n-no no it's not!" Skoodge blushes harshly, "I mean...I don't mind how you think of it. It's just...I was hoping," he twiddled his fingers anxiously, "since I've always looked up and supported you that...b-but it's not anything like that, it just...I don't know how to put it."

Zim still looked in confusion, yet a thought came to him.

"You wanna be the other parent just so she won't ever question it."

Ofcourse, this was not the exact reason why Skoodge wanted to be the other parent.

"I mean...one of the main reason is because she's your own child and I always wonder what it would like to be a parent but...I guess you can say that."

The pregnant alien kept looking at him in silence. Then he turned away with a short sigh.

"Fine, you can play the other parent."

Skoodge's eyes glistened, "r-really?"

"Yes, but ONLY to avoid her questioning her origin. And for you to stop your waterworks. But don't expect anything else."

His eyes glistened more and he smiled again.

"Th...Thank you."

"Yeah, sure."

Zim suddenly yawns and let himself rest on his childhood friend's side, something that he didn't expect him to do. But it gave his heart a nice fluttery sensation when he did this.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Going to sleep, duh."

"...oh. Heh," he smiles fondly at him again, "ofcourse".

Zim however ignored his reaction. He yawned a bit and his eyes peacefully closed shut. Once he was asleep, he looked down at the bump, feeling nothing but the warmth of the happiness he was feeling. He caressed the bump, still feeling the smeet shifting about underneath his palm.

"I'll make sure I'll take care and protect you the same way I do to your father," he spoke softly to her, "I promise."

The child ofcourse did not have any change of response to what he just said and just continued to move about naturally.

He chuckled despite this. He then remembered something.

"Oh right," he dug underneath his uniform and pulled out a pig plush toy.

"Gir wanted you to have this. He thought you might want it in case you ever feel down."

He went ahead and place the pig against Zim's smeet bump. Feeling the urge to sleep as well, Skoodge yawned and gently let his friend get comfortable against him, letting his friend's wamrth sink into him and both the irkens' hands still resting on the bump, before dozing off with a soft smile on his face.

Just a minute after Skoodge gave her the pig toy, the unborn smeet stopped, showing that she finally fell asleep.


End file.
